One of Not4Sale's safe houses. The Lethbridge-based non-profit is fundraising to support its efforts to protect the victims of human trafficking. (Photo: Not4Sale)

By David Opinko

Lethbridge’s Not4Sale fundraising to support victims of human trafficking

May 22, 2025 | 8:23 AM

A local non-profit is asking for your support as it works to help the survivors of human trafficking.

Not4Sale is a Lethbridge-based organization that has safe homes in Mexico and Kenya.

Executive Director Joy-Lynn Stickel says they currently have seven young girls in their Mexico location and two in Kenya.

She tells LNN that the budget to run these facilities is quite high, as the victims often require extensive support.

“We get them counselling. Obviously, they’re in need of physical help as well, like doctors and all that. But the big part of it is we want them to feel loved, we want them to feel valued, we want them to have their childhoods back,” says Stickel.

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The goal is to provide a safe place for victims to heal on the inside and out, and Stickel says they are equipped with “house moms” and counsellors who provide them with love and care.

The most difficult part of rescuing human trafficking victims, she adds, is that some of them don’t want to be rescued.

“If the traffickers have done their jobs properly, then these girls think they’re in a relationship and they think they’re in love with their traffickers. They’re most likely addicted to drugs because that’s how they keep them compliant.”

Stickel says, despite many movies portraying human trafficking as something that primarily happens in other parts of the world, it happens here, too.

That is why Not4Sale does educational outreach in southern Alberta, speaking to children in school about what to look out for and what they can do, as well as educating parents about the ways in which human traffickers operate.

“There’s lots of businesses like trucking that see this at truck stops and don’t know what to do about it,” says Stickel. “Our hope and our goal is to help people understand what is out there, what is happening, and how they can help prevent it.”

Not4Sale is hosting a fundraising gala on Friday, May 23, which is currently sold out. The goal is to raise $100,000, which will help to support their everyday operations.

For anyone who has not purchased a ticket to the event, they can still make donations and learn about volunteering opportunities at Not4Sale.ca