Welcome to Restoration Project International

Restoration Project International (RPI) is a nonprofit organization founded on August 2nd, 2013. Moved by the scale and global impact of human trafficking - an estimated 1million girls and women trafficked for sexual exploitation, including pornography and prostitution - RPI's founder, Edith Okupa, took action with the ultimate goal of engaging all stakeholders in social change to rehabilitate victims and eradicate trafficking.  Edith’s passion for restoring the hope and aspiration of trafficked girls began with a research study she conducted for the Colorado Coalition against Domestic Violence (CCADV). Edith's research titled, The Termination of Parental Rights of a Rapist when a Child is Conceived through Rape, was aided by the Colorado Coalition against Sexual Assault (CCASA). Edith and these coalitions also successfully pushed for two critical legislative changes in the rights of rape victims, and children conceived by rape. These include: 1) SB227 (2013) which protects children conceived by rape from their rapist fathers and; 2) HB 14-1162 (2014) which protects rape victims from their rapist and the criminal justice system when a child is conceived by rape.  RPI was founded to address structural and systemic challenges for victims of trafficking which the founder’s research uncovered. These include: 1) How best can society help trafficked girls/women to heal and be restored to normal lives? 2) How best can trafficked girls/women be empowered to avoid 'Stockholm Syndrome' and shun their captors? 3) How best can society's misconceptions and apathy be challenged to make it more empathetic, engaged and willing to embrace trafficked girls as they transition back into society? 

These are the organizing principles that inform RPI's mission for social change. And RPI's mission is realized by filling the vacuum in the transitional period between when victims leave are redeemed, and their struggle to re-integrate into society. 

RPI's engagement model is premised on the idea that education is crucial in the prevention of trafficking, and from protection to rehabilitation of victims. RPI's education strategy extends from victims to society. An educated victim is better empowered to make informed life choices. And an educated society is better informed on the challenges of trafficking; and crucially, how to identify at-risk girls and restore survivors. RPI's collaborative model also requires that it continues to work with like-minded organizations and government agencies to restore girls who have survived trafficking, as well as engage in global social change to eradicate human trafficking.