One month after at least 1,127 people were killed, mostly young women, families continue to grieve the loss of loved ones and now feel the effects in other ways too.

Here are two excerpts from a recent nbc article hi-lighting the longer term losses after the Rana Plaza garment factory collapse in Bangladesh.

♦    Identifying bodies that are found in the rubble is now almost impossible, as daytime temperatures...

Is it cruel irony or shrewd politics that has February & March be the months of such turmoil, two of the most important months in the Bangladeshi year?

February celebrates the nation's Language Martyrs. Those who by their sacrifice on 21st Feb, were the seeds of the Liberation Movement from Pakistan back in 1952.

March is the month in 1971 when independence was defiantly declared. Although it took a further 9 months of horrendous war - East Pakistani civilians against Pakistani militia - before independence was won....

YEAHHH! Remember some weeks ago we were encouraged to all join in the TVPRA final push? Well, we did it! On Thursday 7th March, the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorisation Act, having jumped through all its hoops, will be signed by President Obama. But what does that mean now?

The original

This week I met a Director of DOMA, an agency unravelling the complexities of human trafficking in Columbus, Ohio USA. It was inspiring! Together with a local Judge they run a 2 year voluntary program to support and train women as they extricate themselves from the traps and webs of the sex trade. Part of that training is Freedom - a la cart.

CATCH

Breaking the cycle of slavery...

At least 27 Million people are in slavery NOW and we, who have freedom, can help change that. Many agencies across the world are in the fight to raise awareness, lobby for action and bring release.

27 for 27

Around March 5th - 15th, not far from you, is a place where people will stand for 27 hours in solidarity with these 27 million. Or if, for any number of reasons, standing for 27 hours is not feasible then go for a while, encourage and try these ways to be involved too:

• get

When were you last truly 'in awe'? That breath-catching moment when you can't believe its you who gets to be where you are at just that instant in time. For me it was Monday, when I came face to face with the real life Dead Sea Scrolls in Cincinnati, Ohio.

In awe ...

In the presence of the truly ancient I'm undone - can't help it! Over 2,000 years ago skilled hands assiduously preserved texts, even more ancient, by simply copying them letter for letter, word for word onto new pieces of vellum and parchment.