Walk for Marianne

As the Director of Free a Girl USA I am asking for support by sponsoring my walk of 230 km next spring from the city of Haarlem, where my late mother Marianne was born in The Netherlands in 1946, to her resting place in Maastricht where she passed away in 1980 after an 18 month battle against cancer. I was 11 years old at the time of her passing. Returning to the Netherlands after residing in the United States for 16 years I feel the need to do something significant in her honor in a constructive way that will bring together my two home countries. I love representing the Dutch foundation Free a Girl in the United States and feel I can mirror the work I do helping young girls to embrace a free and happy future by walking in my mother Marianne’s memory.

I have set my fundraising goal for this sponsored 230 km walk at $50,000. With enough funding we can continue to support our programs such as the School for Justice where survivors, after being rehabilitated, study law and related fields to arm themselves to fight the impunity that surrounds the sexual exploitation of children.

Please be as generous as possible. The future state of the human race depends on the health of its children. We cannot tolerate the enslavement or abuse of even a single child, let alone millions, on our watch. Their suffering affects us all.

Thank you very much

Jessica Reijnders