Designing for a Difference Holiday Gift Idea - Gifts That Give Back and Save Lives

Atlanta, GA, October 10, 2009 --(PR.com)-- The State Department estimates that nearly 4 million women and children are trafficked around the world every year. They are tricked, kidnapped, smuggled across borders, raped, beaten, drugged, and sold into slavery. Eventually, these helpless victims come to believe that they are worthless and that no one cares for them. Thankfully STOP (Stop Trafficking Of People), an international humanitarian organization, is dedicated to saving these victims, giving their freedom back, and offering support and hope.

Anna Balkan, a Ukrainian born and US based jewelry designer, wanted to help raise money for STOP. She created a STOP signature jewelry piece, the Circles of Life necklace, inspired by the victims’ struggles, that represents a continuous transformation and interconnection of life. $100 from each necklace, which retails for $150, is given directly to STOP to help them raise funds for the rescue center in Bosnia. The goal is to sell 1,000 necklaces by the end of 2009.

Balkans’ engineering background influenced her to create a piece that can convert into different looks and be worn short, long, and even sideways. Each of the three circles in the necklace represents an individual step of the victims’ transformation.

The top circle is hammered and the texture serves to represent broken spirit and loss of hope for the kidnapped and tortured victim. The second circle represents the rescue and the beginning of the transformation and has a smooth and matte finish, just as the rescued girl is looking whole on the outside, but not yet feeling beautiful and whole on the inside. The last circle represents the recovery and hope for the future. This circle has a beautiful and shiny finish, just as a rescued girl feeling new and full of hope for the future.

Balkan is very excited to be able to use her creativity and work with STOP. She feels privileged to be able to help the people who have fallen victim to human trafficking and hopes to inspire others to help the cause and buy the Circles of Life necklaces this holiday season at http://www.annabalkan.com.

Contact
Lisa Kerns
sales@annabalkan.com
678.592.4542

STOP (Stop Trafficking of People, Inc) is an International Humanitarian Organization Assisting the Victims of Sex Trafficking. To learn more about STOP, please visit www.stopinternational.org

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www.annabalkan.com