2026 HUMANITARIAN AWARD WINNER
“SURVIVORS GET TIRED LAST”
SUBMITTED BY ALFRED QUANSAH for the challenging heights organization
My name is Alfred Quansah, and I am a survivor of trafficking and child slavery on Lake Volta in Ghana. In 2011, I was rescued by the very men you see in this video. I was 10 years old, and slavery was the only life I'd ever known. I was malnourished and sick. My body was covered in scars from years of abuse. I'd never been to school. I didn't even know what school was. The day I was rescued, I thought I was being re-trafficked. I was so scared. I was brought to the recovery center you see in this video. I started school - I didn't know how to write my name that first day. I slept on a mattress for the first time in my life. I got stronger. Stephen and other staff encouraged me with my education, and I took extra classes to catch up academically. I was the first person in my family to graduate from primary school. I went on to secondary school and then university. While in university, I worked alongside Stephen, Mr. Edu, and the rescue team on missions to free other children. Today, I am studying in the United States at Missouri Baptist University and will graduate with an MBA in April. When we join together and support survivors to end child slavery and trafficking, miraculous things can happen. I’m living proof of that. When submitting this video, I wanted to share about the issue of trafficking in Ghana, but more importantly, share the solution. The solution is in the survivors - because survivors get tired last. Thank you for watching.
2026 FILMMAKERS AWARD WINNER
“BREATHING MERCHANDISE"
directed by SIMONE CORDE // written by alessandro di candia
This short film is conceived as a powerful call to awareness about the global crisis of human trafficking. Its purpose is not merely to inform, but to confront the viewer with a reality that is often hidden in plain sight. Through stark and unfiltered imagery, the film exposes the brutality, manipulation, and dehumanization that define this vast criminal network. The visual language is intentionally raw, portraying a harrowing barbarity that is impossible to ignore. In deliberate contrast to these disturbing images, the narrative voice is calm, steady, and deeply human. It belongs to the victim. There is no shouting, no dramatization—only a composed, almost fragile strength that guides the audience through her experience. This restrained tone creates a profound emotional tension: while the screen reveals violence and exploitation, the voice speaks with clarity, reflection, and quiet resilience. The victim’s narration invites viewers to look beyond statistics and headlines. She speaks of broken trust, false promises, isolation, and the systematic stripping away of identity. At the same time, she reflects on dignity, memory, and the stubborn persistence of hope. This duality—horror on screen and composure in voice—forces the audience to confront the complexity of trafficking: it is not only a crime against the body, but an assault on autonomy, dreams, and humanity itself. Rather than offering easy solutions, the film encourages responsibility and awareness. It asks the viewer to recognize the signs, question indifference, and acknowledge the shared social structures that allow such exploitation to continue. By merging brutal realism with introspective narration, the short film transforms shock into reflection—and reflection into the first step toward change.
2ND PLACE: “Ho‘ōla Nā Pua”
Ho’ōla Nā Pua (HNP)
This public service announcement from Ho‘ōla Nā Pua confronts one of the most misunderstood crimes affecting children today: sex trafficking. While many assume trafficking happens somewhere else, to someone else, this PSA reminds viewers that it is happening in our own communities. The visual concept places the message within the cultural landscape of Hawai‘i, grounding the issue in a place widely associated with beauty and hospitality. Against this backdrop, the PSA reveals difficult truths: many victims know their trafficker, exploitation often begins in early adolescence, and Native Hawaiian youth are disproportionately impacted. By presenting these facts in a stark, concise format, the piece challenges viewers to reconsider what trafficking really looks like and who it affects.
The PSA draws urgency from a real event in January 2026, when eight missing children were recovered on O‘ahu after being gone for more than a year. Their discovery serves as a powerful reminder that behind every statistic is a child whose life has been interrupted by exploitation—and whose journey toward healing is only beginning.
Ultimately, the message is both sobering and hopeful. These youth are not numbers or headlines—they are our children. Awareness is the first step toward change. By shining a light on the realities of exploitation, Ho‘ōla Nā Pua invites communities to recognize the signs, respond with compassion, and become part of the collective effort to protect and restore vulnerable youth.
3RD PLACE: “VERGUENZA”
directed by silvio moreira // written BY MIGUTI
FT. singer Rogelio Douglas Jr // actress Najoua Ajjour
While organizing anti-human trafficking conferences with GSN, I had the honour to witness the testimonials of now-freed women like Paty, Karla and Neli.
But one time, at the UN, they asked me to translate their story of how being lured by false promises of love led them to forced sex labour.
Word for word, I felt a jarring pain in my soul as I wasn't just a vessel. I was now reliving their screams of silence. I was now also part of the story... and they, part of mine: a conscious storytelling rapper.
So, I wrote a song about them, word for word, as if I were them.
They loved it and asked about the music video and if they could join.
Filmed at the Vatican, Dubai and mainly in Mexico at their new home-shelters, provided by Rosi Orozco, it featured them lip-syncing parts of my performance of their true story, showcasing how intertwined we all are.
Not just me and them, but the world. And we should all be ashamed that we allow children to be trafficked and abused. Not only our children, but theirs as well. All children are our children. Aren't we ashamed that this happens? Aren't YOU ashamed?
VISUAL ART AWARD WINNER
“EXIT”
Acrylic on canvas, 30”x30”, 2026
“Exit” – this artwork intertwines scenes of children trapped in the shadows of human trafficking, their pain and fears laid bare. Amid the darkness, a single dream glimmers—the hope of escape. At the top of the canvas, two figures ascend toward the light, a fragile promise of freedom.
Children are our future. They embody purity, kindness, and innocence. Every child deserves a happy childhood, bright dreams, safety, and the freedom to smile without fear.
I spent most of my life in Ukraine, where I experienced a simple and humble childhood. I love my country deeply, and it is heartbreaking to witness that this devastating war has been on our land for four long years.
This war has brought immense sorrow, pain, heartbreak, and grief. We are losing some of our very best people. Cities and villages have been destroyed, and what generations built over centuries is being deliberately devastated.
There have been horrific acts of violence against innocent Ukrainians - most tragically our children. People have been tortured, killed, and subjected to unimaginable suffering. Our culture, historical monuments, and even the Ukrainian language have been targeted in attempts to erase our national identity.
One of the greatest tragedies is the forced displacement of children. Many have been taken to Russian territory, and some have simply disappeared. Families are left without answers, not knowing how to bring their children home.
The chaos of war creates conditions in which human trafficking can flourish and remain hidden.
This must not be ignored. We must remain vigilant in confronting these crimes. Raising awareness and taking meaningful action are essential steps toward building a safer and more just society.
The more openly we speak about these issues and educate others, the greater our ability to prevent further harm.
I firmly believe that, united, we can stand together against human trafficking and violence.
Despite everything, I continue to believe in humanity and in the power of our shared moral responsibility.