Spring Break
Freshman has battled sex trafficking, lived in Cambodia
Pond's family moves to Cambodia to help children affected by sex trafficking
Makenna Bishop
Issue date: 5/8/09 Section: News
In her high school years, a girl who is now an OSU student and her family decided to put their American lives on hold in order to move to a third-world country.
Ashley Pond, a freshman in communications, willingly gave up two years of high school in order to start a non-profit organization in Cambodia with her family.
One evening five years ago, the Pond family saw an NBC Dateline special called, "Children For Sale." In the program, the Dateline crew went undercover with a human rights group in order to expose sex trafficking in Cambodia.
The show exposed children as young as five years old being sold as slaves for sex. The show estimated that hundreds of thousands of girls and boys are bought, sold or kidnapped to be trafficked each year.
Upon seeing this show, the Pond family knew something had to be done. Pond said her dad left for Cambodia shortly after to see what was really going on. When he arrived back home, Pond said there was no other option but to move their family to Cambodia to help those afflicted.
Pond said she, her parents and her younger siblings discussed the possibilities extensively and together came to the conclusion that moving to the third-world country would be most effective.
In order to make this move, James Pond, Pond's father, quit his high-paying job and the family members agreed to sell their worldly possessions.
"It was like a garage sale times 10," Pond said. "We sold our house, two cars, clothes - everything we could bear to live without. Everyone thought we were nuts."
While it was difficult selling all her belongings, which included meaningful items she had possessed her whole life, she knew the sacrifice would be worth it, and was looking forward to the new situation.
James Pond and his wife Athena co-founded Transitions Cambodia, which focuses on the rehabilitation of trafficked survivors. They set up a shelter where girls could seek appropriate health care, intensive counseling and participate in training for their career aspirations.
Ashley Pond, a freshman in communications, willingly gave up two years of high school in order to start a non-profit organization in Cambodia with her family.
One evening five years ago, the Pond family saw an NBC Dateline special called, "Children For Sale." In the program, the Dateline crew went undercover with a human rights group in order to expose sex trafficking in Cambodia.
The show exposed children as young as five years old being sold as slaves for sex. The show estimated that hundreds of thousands of girls and boys are bought, sold or kidnapped to be trafficked each year.
Upon seeing this show, the Pond family knew something had to be done. Pond said her dad left for Cambodia shortly after to see what was really going on. When he arrived back home, Pond said there was no other option but to move their family to Cambodia to help those afflicted.
Pond said she, her parents and her younger siblings discussed the possibilities extensively and together came to the conclusion that moving to the third-world country would be most effective.
In order to make this move, James Pond, Pond's father, quit his high-paying job and the family members agreed to sell their worldly possessions.
"It was like a garage sale times 10," Pond said. "We sold our house, two cars, clothes - everything we could bear to live without. Everyone thought we were nuts."
While it was difficult selling all her belongings, which included meaningful items she had possessed her whole life, she knew the sacrifice would be worth it, and was looking forward to the new situation.
James Pond and his wife Athena co-founded Transitions Cambodia, which focuses on the rehabilitation of trafficked survivors. They set up a shelter where girls could seek appropriate health care, intensive counseling and participate in training for their career aspirations.
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