Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly Season 16 Episode 10 Bride Trafficking in India, buildOn Movement

Bride trafficking is a prevalent issue in many parts of India, where thousands of women are sold to families looking for brides for their sons. This episode of Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly features an in-depth look at this disturbing practice and the efforts of activists who are working to stop it.

The episode begins with a report from correspondent Judy Valente, who travels to the state of Haryana, where bride trafficking is particularly common. She speaks with women who have been trafficked and hears their heartbreaking stories of abuse and exploitation. Valente also speaks with activists who are working to combat the practice, including a lawyer who is dedicating her career to helping women escape from abusive marriages.

The second segment of the episode focuses on the buildOn movement, a nonprofit organization that is working to break the cycle of poverty and illiteracy in some of the world's poorest countries. Correspondent Lucky Severson travels to Senegal, where he meets with buildOn volunteers who are building schools in rural areas that have never had access to education before. Severson also speaks with the founder of buildOn, Jim Ziolkowski, who explains his organization's mission and the impact that it is having in communities around the world.

Throughout the episode, Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly explores the connection between religion and social justice, highlighting the role that faith-based groups are playing in the fight against bride trafficking and in the efforts to improve access to education in underserved areas. Viewers are left with a sense of hope that change is possible, even in the face of daunting challenges.