Every Daughter Matters is transforming lives along one of the world’s busiest human trafficking routes, the open border between Nepal and India. Founder and Director Ross Nancarrow and Head of Engagement Darren Reynolds joined Doug to share how their team is preventing exploitation, rescuing vulnerable girls, and proving that no one should be trapped in a life of slavery.
A Mission Born from Heartbreak
Ross and Darren didn’t set out to fight human trafficking. They were working in Nepal on community projects when the stories started to surface.
“Stories that keep you awake at night,” Ross recalled. “We thought, we cannot stay on the sideline. We have to do something.”
Why Nepal?
Nepal is a hotspot for human trafficking. Up to 25,000 girls are trafficked each year across its 1,700-kilometre open border with India. Why? Poverty, low education, and cultural pressures all play a role.
“Some scumbag comes on Facebook and promises the world,” Darren explained. “The girls just want a better life. That’s the hook.”
The border’s lack of checks makes it easy for traffickers. “It’s just a free flow of traffic,” said Ross. “No passports. No questions.”
Booths That Save Lives
Every Daughter Matters operates 13 border booths. Staff stop vehicles, ask questions, and look for red flags. “It’s more like a garden shed,” said Darren. “But they’re painted blue. And they’re right at the border.”
Their staff work closely with the police. Some of the most effective team members are girls who were almost trafficked themselves. “They’ve got a beautifully attuned BS meter,” Darren said. “We call one of them ‘Hawkeye’. She’s ferocious. She just knows.”
She once spotted a young man with a girl at a kiosk near the border. He’d groomed her online for two years. He planned to hand her over to traffickers. But she stopped it. “We arrested both men,” said Ross. “But more importantly, we wrecked their business model.”
The Cost of Prevention
Prevention isn’t just powerful, it’s practical. Rescuing a girl before she crosses the border costs far less than trying to get her back.
“It costs about ten times more to rescue a girl after she’s been trafficked,” Darren said. “Prevention is better than cure.” And it’s working. Each booth rescues around 10 girls a month. Last year alone, they rescued more than 1,700 girls.
What Happens Next?
After a rescue, girls stay in emergency accommodation. Staff reconnect them with family if it’s safe. Then comes the healing. “They’ve been lied to. Their dreams have been shattered,” Ross said. “We help them see a future again.”
For some, that future includes a safe home and six months of training. They learn legal rights, life skills, and trades like sewing or cooking.
Others enter the Pathways to Potential program. It supports girls who can’t return home to finish high school. “If they can finish high school, they’ve got a shot,” Ross said.
Education for Prevention
Every Daughter Matters also runs awareness campaigns. Each month, they hold over 2,000 conversations in schools and communities. “We partner with other organisations to educate,” said Darren. “It’s one of our biggest areas of work.”
From the Mountains to the Border
Most girls come from remote villages in Nepal’s hills. Many have only basic education. Traffickers target these areas with false promises. One story that stuck with Darren was a girl he met at a rubbish tip in 2009.
“She lit up when a new garbage truck arrived,” he said. “That was her best moment. Because that was her life.” For many like her, the promise of a new dress or job is enough to fall into a trap.
One Girl’s Story
Take Sunita. She was kidnapped, blindfolded, and trafficked into India. She was held for months and abused. When she escaped and returned home, the village shunned her. “She was beaten, her family was beaten,” Ross shared. Every Daughter Matters found her and gave her a new path. Education. Support. A future.
The True Cost of Rescue
It costs just $187 to rescue a girl. That’s it. “That’s a family meal,” said Darren. “And it changes a life.” For $1,800, you can fund a booth for a month. Each booth rescues around 10 girls and reaches hundreds more with education.
How You Can Help
You don’t have to go to Nepal to make a difference. You can be an “Interception Partner.” Give $10, $50, or even $187 a month. Help rescue girls before they’re lost. “We can’t do this alone,” said Ross. “We need people to partner with us. And it works.”
Want to Know More?
Visit everydaughtermatters.org.au to learn how to get involved. You can also invite the team to speak at your school, church, or community group. “This is happening on our planet, on our watch,” Darren said. “Let’s do something about it.”
Listen to the full conversation below.