Agnes Lam launches bra donation campaign to help African women

What if by donating a bra you could help African women who were forced into prostitution? The editor-in-chief of the New Generation Magazine, Ms Agnes Lam, believes in the work of the American non-governmental organization “Free the Girls” and has just launched a campaign in Macau to collect bras. These will then be given to women in Africa, who can then sell them to other women.
“This is the second time we are organizing the donation here in Macau. Last time, we were able to collect 300 bras,” Agnes Lam told the Times, adding that in the previous initiative bras were donated through Taiwan. This turn, they will be given directly to “Free the Girls” in the USA.
Agnes Lam, who is also a scholar at the University of Macau, recalled that in many African counties a number of women are forced into the world of prostitution, particularly at a young age. “The ‘Free the Girls’ program [is intended] to help these women [leaving prostitution] and assist them in finding work, for instance by selling bras to other women to earn some more money,” she said.
But a lot of people ask “why bras?” Agnes Lam explained that it has a symbolic meaning, as it conveys a message of “women helping women.” At the same time, these girls are able to earn more money than in other types of work, just by selling bras, she added saying that “actually, they can earn three or five times the minimum wage, sometimes.”
Furthermore, Agnes Lam is convinced that by selling bras and making extra money, the girls will be able to go to school. “Many of them did not have a chance to go to school, and ‘Free the Girls’ want them to not only leave prostitution but to help them survive after they do so,” she stressed.
Agnes Lam recalled that the bras should be in good condition to be donated, and properly washed. “We accept all kinds of normal bras.” Drop-off points are located in Kong Seng station in Macau and in Indonesian Street in Taipa.
The campaign is held throughout this week and so far 30 bras have been collected.
The “Free the Girls” project was launched in 2010 and, according to its website, has been able to collect over 300,000 bras until now. The pilot project addressed the African country of Mozambique, but “Free the Girls” is thinking of extending the program to Lesotho and Mexico.