Earlier this year Shanker's brother committed suicide while trapped in oppressive work conditions far from home. Working with Avaaz, he started a petition to ensure that 100 of his brother's friends trapped in the same situation wouldn’t face the same fate. After pressure from 20,000 people across the Avaaz community, Shanker finally won and the workers were freed! Start your petition today:
This is a really amazing story from Shanker, an Avaaz member in India:
"My brother was lured to Bahrain by an employer who exploited him, took away his passport and banned him from coming home. He had no way out, and he killed himself. I've missed him so much, wished so much I could have helped him. And when I found out 100 of his fellow workers and friends were still trapped there -- I knew I had to do something.
I started a petition on the Avaaz website calling on his employer to let my brother's friends come home to India. All I did was tell my story, and then it was sent to thousands of Avaaz members. In a few days 20,000 people signed my petition, the media and the company's business partners started asking questions, and the corporation was forced to free all my brother's co-workers. And they were forced to promise to never again block people from returning home to their families."
The Times of India hailed Shanker as a “lone voice earning support from thousands on the internet” to rescue 100 men and right this wrong. His story is another inspiring example of how people all over the world are using Avaaz's new petition website to stand up for what's right, and win. Over 20,000 campaigns have been started and counting. It's really easy -- click to start your own petition on the Avaaz website now:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/start_a_petition/?cl=2281040682&v=20128
We all have things we wish 'someone' would do something about. If one man could save a hundred of his brother's friends from a powerful corporation across an ocean, what could each of us do? Start a campaign, and let's find out!
With hope and excitement,
Ricken Patel
PS: If you're not yet ready to start your own campaign, consider forwarding this email to a friend. We all know someone who's itching to change the world or some piece of it -- and this new tool is a powerful way to do it: http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/start_a_petition/?cl=2281040682&v=20128
SOURCES:
Online campaign to aid of Indian workers in Bahrain (The Times of India)
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-07-20/madurai/32763903_1_bahrain-travel-ban-nass-corporation
Bahrain firm allows stranded Indian workers to leave (BBC):
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-18881796
Avaaz campaign forces Bahrain company to free 100 Indians (IBN Live):
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/avaaz-forces-bahrain-company-to-free-100-indians/272508-24.html
TN villager wins a battle for Bahrain's Indian workers (Sify News)
http://www.sify.com/news/tn-villager-wins-a-battle-for-bahrain-s-indian-workers-news-columns-mhsrX9begji.html
Avaaz.org is a 17-million-person global campaign network that works to ensure that the views and values of the world's people shape global decision-making. ("Avaaz" means "voice" or "song" in many languages.) Avaaz members live in every nation of the world; our team is spread across 19 countries on 6 continents and operates in 14 languages. Learn about some of Avaaz's biggest campaigns here, or follow us on Facebook or Twitter.