ROTARIAN MARK LITTLE WILL GIVE A ZOOM PRESENTATION ON MODERN SLAVERY.

Content of the talk.
40 million people are enslaved today and 1 in 4 of these are children . Mark will tell us about the existence and extent of modern slavery , where and why it occurs and how the Rotarian Action Group Against Slavery is helping to protect people from slavery and its consequences . He will also tell us how to spot victims of slavery and what action to take when victims are identified. More information is available on www.ragas.online or https://ragas.online.com  including a short video. (PLEASE NOTE - You will need to copy and paste these links into your browser as they are not supported within the standards of the Rotary Website Template.)

Mark's Background. 

Mark is a Founder Member of the Rotary Club of Norwich St Edmund, England, is a Paul Harris Fellow, was Club President in 1999/2000 and has held several Rotary District appointments between 2002 and the present time. 

In 2002 he led a GSE team to the USA. In 2003 he received the “Rotary Service Above Self Award” from Rotary International for his humanitarian work abroad and in 2015, he was presented with RIBI’s (Rotary in Great Britain & Ireland) Champion of Change award for his work on combating Modern Slavery. In late 2021 Mark was recommended to Her Majesty The Queen for the honour of MBE (Member of the British Empire) in the 2022 New Year’s Honours List, the citation being for his “Services to victims of Modern Day Slavery”.

Mark’s awareness of the evils of modern slavery began in 2001 after watching a TV programme on the subject. Shortly after the film he made visits to two Child Slave Rehabilitation Centres in India, featured in the TV documentary film. Since then, he has been active in supporting many anti-slavery organizations, visiting other rehabilitation centres and safe houses in India and other countries and initiating numerous anti-slavery projects abroad. In 2009, he formed an Action Group of Rotarians against Slavery (RAGAS) which eventually received approval from the Board of Rotary International as a Rotarian Action Group in 2013. He was Chairman of the Action Group for 10 years until he stepped down from the role in June 2019.

During the last 2 decades, he has spoken on the issue of Modern Slavery to many Rotary Clubs, Rotary Districts and other organizations both at home and abroad as well as at several breakout sessions at Rotary International Conventions.

Apart from slavery issues, Mark has also been involved in setting up other international humanitarian service projects in developing countries, physically labouring on several Indian building sites (as part of Rotary teams) and participating in four National Polio Immunisation Days in India.