I have learnt nobody will put me down

30th July is World Day against Trafficking in Persons and we're proud to support community organisations across London who work both with people at risk of human trafficking and those who have survived this type of exploitation.

Strength & Stem are one such organisation and received grants from our Women's Fund for London in 2024. This funding goes towards core costs to support the delivery of their 8-month ‘Flowers for the Future’ programme. This annual programme provides employability support through floristry for women survivors of trafficking and modern-day slavery, giving them the skills, tools and resources to secure and maintain employment.

I have learnt nobody will put me down. Around me is not dark, it is light! - Iris

One of Strength & Stem's 2024 cohort of survivors is Iris (name changed to protect her identity). Iris was trafficked from the Philippines and exploited through domestic servitude for 15 years in the United Arab Emirates before being brought to the UK by her ‘employers’. She was physically and verbally abused; she slept on the floor, received little food and was often locked in a room. When Iris escaped slavery in September 2022, aged nearly 50, her years of exploitation had left her fearful, unable to trust even herself, scared to leave the safe house and experiencing frequent flashbacks.

Initially, the floristry training sessions were triggering for Iris as her ‘employer’ had been sharply critical of her flower arrangements, but she worked to overcome this and grew in confidence, developed her own style and spent her spare time practising the skills she had learnt. Iris progressed to work experience at a floristry group for ladies living with dementia. She threw herself into this, developing a good rapport with both staff and participants and became an invaluable member of the team. Having received her Conclusive Grounds decision in December, and the right to remain in the UK, Iris is now seeking to extend the terms of her visa so she can secure employment in the floristry industry.

Iris shared that: “My first time [at a Strength & Stem training session] I was so afraid, I could not manage myself, and I always needed someone with me. I have become more confident, I’m not shy, I can talk to people and travel on public transport alone. I have learnt nobody will put me down. Around me is not dark, it is light!”

15 survivors have benefitted from the programme in 2024, receiving 1400 contact hours with the Strength & Stem team. This includes 12 weeks of skills development, one-to-one mentoring, 12 days of work experience at a commercial florist, alumni workshops for further learning and development and a graduation event at the end. Training is trauma-informed, evidence-based and survivor-centric, drawing on proven theoretical and practical approaches to vocational rehabilitation.

It's truly inspiring to see them gain in confidence, trust, self esteem and develop aspirations for how they want to live their lives in freedom... - Tessa Trace, Grants Manager, Strength & Stem

The women experience a reduction in isolation, growth in confidence and self belief and many go through such a change that they are barely recognisable, even to themselves, after completing the programme. Crucially they become part of a community and learn to socialise and support one another - often way beyond the 8 months of the 'Flowers for the Future' programme.

Grants Manager Tessa Trace says "It is truly inspiring to support a cohort of women to help them hope for a better future, to see them gain in confidence, trust, self-esteem, and develop aspirations for how they want to live their lives in freedom. The generous funding awarded by the London Community Foundation Women's Fund has supported the costs of delivering our 2024 skills development programme through which 15 survivors of exploitation were supported to be restored from their trauma, empowered for the future and able to sustain a good quality of life. Iris’s story is testament to the change that this award has made possible and that we have been fortunate to observe across our cohort during 2024. We are most grateful to the individuals and organisations who donated to the Women's Fund to help disadvantaged women increase their financial resilience."

In 2025 The London Community Foundation is looking to support even more women in the city, through trusted, impactful and innovative community organisations just like Strength & Stem. Your generosity will enable women secure a hope and a future for themselves and their families, whether they are survivors of trafficking, affected by domestic abuse or at risk from poverty. We're pleased to share that this year any donations made to our Women's Fund for London will be doubled, thanks to the generosity of the S.Godin Legacy Fund and we're really hoping to raise over £250,000 to support community organisations across London.

To find out more about our Women's Fund for London and the projects already being supported or to make a donation today, please visit our Women's Fund page.