The 2023 Global Slavery Index puts the number of those living in modern slavery in Asia Pacific at 29 million people - more than half of the global enslaved population.

We are going to be undertaking the 80 miles of the Dales Way over 29 hours - an hour for every million people enslaved in the region. Our hope is to raise awareness of their plight and to raise funds to help those who suffer this terrible human rights violation find hope for the future.

We're undertaking the challenge for people like Lua:

Lua was struggling to support herself and her child. Her marriage had broken down and they had nowhere to live. Lua borrowed money to buy a small house but without a stable income she was under constant pressure.

So, in 2015, when a man sold her a pipe dream about a high-paid job in the UK and happy life for her family, she took the chance.

Lua put everything she had into the trip, hoping for a brighter future, the truth is she was trafficked to the UK. For about a year she worked as a housekeeper and sent all the money she earned to her family in Vietnam.

But then she was trafficked on. She was taken to a different house in another city. There she was locked up and prohibited from going out and forced to grow cannabis without pay. Her every move was tracked by her trafficker and if she displeased them they did not hesitate to beat and starve her.

In 2021, she finally escaped, seeking help from a neighbour. The police intervened and the drug house was sealed off. Lua was taken to a Salvation Army shelter. Here she was supported and her deep wounds became apparent. The Salvation Army referred her to Hagar Vietnam and began the process of her retuning home.

Hagar assisted Lua with the transit process from the UK to her homeland. There she joined Hagar’s the Whole Journey Program and was provided with immediate psychological first aid, including trauma-informed counselling. The support she received helped her overcome darkness and gain confidence.

Lua now is working and supporting her child. She has the security she needs and hope for the future.