After watching a documentary about innocent children sold into sexual slavery internationally, Rebecca Jowers was ready to move her entire world to help them. As a wife, a mother of four daughters, and a student at Dallas Theological Seminary, such a move was unrealistic. Nevertheless, a God-inspired passion gripped her heart and would not let go.
Two years of research on the subject of human trafficking revealed a rampant problem here in the United States. In our cities and neighborhoods, human trafficking has no borders, no matter the economics. Rebecca didn’t have to move her entire world; the need was right down the street. With the vision of raising public awareness, reaching and educating the vulnerable, and ultimately opening a safe house, Rebecca created the Poiema Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Poiema imagines a world where sexual abuse and exploitation are not tolerated; where those that have been sexually abused and exploited receive safe housing and long-term trauma-informed care, resulting in restoration as they are loved unconditionally.
We educate the public and raise awareness to prevent sexual abuse, sex trafficking, and other methods of sexual exploitation. We help with the restoration journey of survivors in our safe house by providing for their physical, psychological, emotional, and spiritual needs.
To date, we have educated more than 30,000 people about the dangers of human trafficking through our prevention education program. We speak to teachers, students, counselors, nurses, doctors, foster parents, staff who work with at-risk youth, law enforcement, churches, rotary clubs, etc.
Engaging the public to be eyes and ears in the community and identify human trafficking victims is essential to ending this modern-day slavery. Poiema has over 600 active volunteers involved in community outreach. Each Saturday, volunteers from one of our sixteen campuses distribute posters of missing minors throughout the metroplex. They visit hotels, truck stops, DART rail stations, first responders, etc. More than 570 locations receive posters. In partnership with 4theONE, 450 children have been recovered and sadly, more than half were victims of sex trafficking or sexual exploitation.
Poiema has a Safe House where we provide the support necessary for survivors of human trafficking to overcome their abuse. The success of our Safe House program is greatly dependent on the support provided by volunteers. Opportunities to serve include helping with home maintenance projects, interacting with the residents through mentoring, game nights, or teaching one of our many classes: exercise, art, nutrition, cooking, and life skills. We also support girls/women who are still trapped in “the life”.
C7 Human Trafficking Coalition
North Texas Region
North Texas Coalition
Against Human Trafficking
Dallas/Fort Worth, TX
North East Texas Alliance
Against Trafficking
Hunt County, TX
TC 5-Stones Task Force
Tarrant County, TX
Heart of Texas Human
Trafficking Coalition
Central Texas Region
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