Empowering a continent by creating better livelihoods through education.
The Wings to Fly scholarship program, an initiative of the Equity Group and Mastercard Foundation (MCF), was established to support secondary education for top performing children from financially challenged backgrounds. With support from other partners, the program offers access to leadership training to previously marginalized children in all counties.
The program offers comprehensive support for the scholars through provision of tuition fees, accommodation, books, uniform, shopping, pocket money and transport to and from school during their 4 years of secondary education. It has so far supported 60,009 bright but economically challenged scholars. MCF has so far committed to support 10,000 scholars through two phases of funding with the last intake joining the program in 2021.
Upon arrival, teenagers and young adults are stripped of their passports and confined inside heavily fortified compounds, predominantly located in Sihanoukville, Cambodia, and Myawaddy, Myanmar .
A rapidly rising threat where teens are coerced into providing sexual images that are then used for blackmail. AI-Generated Material: There has been a staggering 1,325% rise
According to the United Nations, an estimated 1 in 10 children in Asia are victims of child labor, with many more at risk of being trafficked or exploited. The Asia-Pacific region accounts for 22% of the world's total child labor population, with countries like India, Indonesia, and the Philippines having some of the highest numbers of child laborers.
TRADITIONAL EXPLOITATION MODERN DIGITAL CONTINUUM ┌──────────────────────────┐ ┌──────────────────────────────────┐ │ • Localized, physical │ │ • Transnational, digital access │ │ • High-risk exposure │ ───────────> │ • Encrypted & anonymous systems │ │ • Limited scale │ │ • Mass distribution of CSAM │ └──────────────────────────┘ └──────────────────────────────────┘ The Scale of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM)
Several factors contribute to the widespread exploitation of teens in Asia. Poverty and lack of opportunities are primary drivers, as many families struggle to make ends meet, and teenagers are forced to work to support their families. Additionally, weak laws and enforcement, corruption, and cultural norms that perpetuate the exploitation of children and teenagers also play a significant role.
Upon arrival, their passports are confiscated, and they are forced to work 12–16 hours a day under threat of violence. They are coerced into running "pig butchering" scams (romance or investment fraud) targeting victims globally.
A case in Bangkok involved the forced labor and trafficking of a who was forced to work in exploitative conditions. Meanwhile, a 17-year-old Vietnamese teenager and two partners opened a massage parlor where they forced underage girls to work as masseuses.
Several factors contribute to the vulnerability of teenagers in Asia, making them more susceptible to exploitation:
01
Martha completes primary school and passes her main exams with flying colors.
02
Her parents can’t afford her high school tuition. She then applies for the Wings To Fly program.
03
The Wings to Fly stepped in with a scholarship
04
Martha does exceptionally well in her main secondary school exams with a vision in mind for her career.
05
ELP steps in and Martha gets to study in an Ivy League university where she gets the best education.
