But everything he’d been told was a lie: when Kachepa arrived in the United States, he and his fellow singers had no access to money or education. They were forced to perform up to seven concerts a day, and were forced to go without food when they misbehaved. The couple that ran the charity made plenty of money off of the boys’ performances, but instead of using it to help them, they kept every penny for themselves. In America, supposed land of the free, the children were being kept as slaves.
After Kachepa had been forced to sing in the choir for a year, the INS caught on and convicted the couple running the operation, letting the boys remain in the United States. Kachepa found a loving foster family to live with, and is now attending college. Today, Kachepa is committed to speaking out against slavery, and frequently shares his own story at lectures, rallies, and in the media, in hopes that he might make others aware of the cause.
“In my heart, I resolved to help rid the world of human trafficking,” he told BlackNews.com. “I do not want anyone else to suffer the mental brutality and psychological trauma victims endure.”
Visit Razoo’s Slavery Giving Guide to learn about and make free, secure donations to some of the best organizations working to abolish human trafficking.
By Kathryn Hawkins, Razoo.com
