According to the 2024 Trafficking in Persons Report by the U.S. Department of State, Cambodia remains a country that does not fully meet the minimum standards for eliminating human trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so. Financial constraints in many households, where the average monthly income is $325, put young women and girls at risk of trafficking. With one-third of Cambodia's population under the age of 15, the vulnerability is widespread.

Women Are Gold, a non-profit center in Kampong Cham, Cambodia, is dedicated to addressing this crisis. The organization supports women and girls who are victims of or at risk of trafficking by focusing on education as a critical preventative measure.

“It's a delicate subject, rarely talked about openly, but widely known to be happening,” said Rick Baltzersen, co-founder of Women Are Gold.

Rick and his wife, Jen, members of Shiloh United Methodist Church in Cincinnati, founded the organization after feeling called to address human trafficking during separate mission trips to Southeast Asia. Their shared experiences and a strong sense of divine purpose led them to spend two years in Cambodia, immersing themselves in the culture and customs before establishing the center.

Women Are Gold operates as a community-based center with a team of four local staff members. Its programs focus on critical areas such as female health education, safe migration, and identifying the red flags of online grooming. By promoting education, the center helps girls remain in school—an essential safeguard, as Cambodian girls who stay in school are 98% less vulnerable to trafficking.

“If you don’t stay in school, you are at risk,” Rick emphasized.

To further support their mission, Women Are Gold offers a $35 monthly allowance to clients who attend classes, report their grades, and meet regularly with a counselor. This financial aid covers essential school expenses, including food, transportation, and tutoring.

In just two years, the organization has supported 37 girls and trained over 1,200 individuals in nearby towns and villages on anti-trafficking awareness.

Women Are Gold relies on support from Shiloh UMC, partnerships, and private donations. Through these efforts, the organization is transforming the lives of Cambodian girls and creating a brighter, safer future.

To learn more about the work of Women Are Gold, click here.

To become a partner or donate to Women Are Gold, click here.

Written by Amy Graham, Freelance Writer for West Ohio Communications