Naomi’s Fight Against Exploitation — From Kathmandu to Calgary
Speaker. Advocate. Relentless Voice for the Voiceless.
Naomi Holland is a speaker and advocate with over two decades of experience fighting sexual exploitation, human trafficking, and online harms. Her work spans from the brothels of India to the frontlines of Calgary to the digital battleground facing today’s youth.
She speaks from lived experience—leading recovery homes, launching international initiatives, and educating thousands on the hard truths surrounding pornography, tech addiction, and childhood trauma. Naomi’s approach is unapologetically honest, research-informed, and rooted in deep compassion.
My Introduction to the Sex Trade
My story began in 1995, in Kathmandu, Nepal. I moved into a Children’s Home to volunteer for 8 months and fell madly in love with the 27 children. The plan was to adopt all of them and write a book called “27 Kids and No Stretch Marks!” Well, that didn’t quite work out—but they’ve been a part of my life ever since.
Over the next several years, I returned numerous times. On one trip, I learned about the reality of human trafficking. At the time, 5,000–12,000 young Nepali girls were being tricked, trafficked, and sold every year into horrendous conditions in the filthy, overcrowded, disease-infested, poverty-stricken brothels of India.
I began researching to see if this was really happening. One day, I interviewed a Nepali woman who ran a recovery home and had been a pioneer in this battle. She told me that village girls as young as 12—whose days consisted of herding goats and cutting grass—were tricked and transported to India with the promise of a good job.
These poor, innocent girls—many of whom had never seen a vehicle—were taken to cities like Mumbai, with over 22 million people speaking a language they had never heard of. Upon arrival, they were beaten, starved, isolated, and raped into submission.
They were then told this was their new life. Their karma. If they resisted, the traffickers would go get their younger siblings to take their place.
These CHILDREN were forced to endure up to 40 men a day.
Through sobs, I asked the woman, “What am I supposed to do with this information? I’m just a university student from Calgary!” She pointed her finger in my face and said words I’ll never forget:
“YOU DO SOMETHING!!!”
I’ve been doing something ever since.
Frontline Work in Calgary
I returned to Calgary, finished my degree in International Development Studies, and started working at the Servants Anonymous Society. They offered me the position of House Mom in the frontline recovery home.
I knew nothing about addictions, street life, childhood trauma, the sex trade, or working with high-risk youth. I was perfect for the job.
My time as House Mom in the frontline recovery home ...
The women loved that I was there as an equal—not trying to analyze them or tell them what to do. They teased my naivete and we laughed a lot. One girl in her early 20s shocked me by pulling out her false teeth! I had no idea that drug addiction could make you lose your teeth. Another time, I had to rush a girl to the hospital in my little Honda Civic while she was in full-blown labour.
During the two years I lived there, I welcomed 43 women off the streets. Some stayed one night. Others stayed a full year and graduated to the next phase.
One young woman, who was HIV positive, arrived with two broken arms. That’s what pimps do when they catch you trying to keep a quarter to make a phone call.
Another was so scared, she slept in the closet—behind her locked bedroom door.
Despite their tough exterior, I quickly learned they all had one thing in common: childhood sexual abuse.
CSA often sets the stage for later grooming and exploitation. The devastation of CSA is that victims often come to believe they have no right to protect their body and their value comes from letting others use their body for their pleasure, creating the perfect soil for exploitation and trafficking.
Back to Nepal
In 2002, I began working for the Servants Anonymous (SA) Foundation. I immediately took the founders to Nepal, where we launched SA Foundation’s first international project—now called the Gentle Heart Foundation.
In Nepal, I worked with national leaders to set up income-generating programs, sewing training, prevention work, border monitoring (including work at truck stops and the border), and a recovery home.
Bringing ethical, fair-trade employment to the women ...
I also started Global Wonders, a social enterprise to provide ethical, fair-trade employment to the women in our program. Later, I added a clothing company called Firebrand. At first, we made knitwear. We worked so hard to buy wool in Kathmandu, transport it 7 hours south to the Terai region, then bring the finished products back for shipping. It was exhausting.
And the results? They were UGLY & ITCHY! I was thrilled when we transitioned into jewelry—so much easier to transport, and people actually wanted to wear it!
Social Enterprises & Fundraisers
At the SA Foundation, I organized countless events and fundraisers. One of the most powerful was the 55-minute downtown power lunch, which became a signature success.
I also partnered with the Old Guys in Action to organize the Calgary Icebreaker Polar Dip. To my horror I had to do the polar dip 6 times! It was terrible! I hated dipping, but I hated sexual slavery more! So I dipped. That event raised significant funds over the years and was embraced by the community of Mahogany. It continues every February. Be sure to register or donate.
Redeemed With Purpose
In 2017, I started Redeemed With Purpose. The vision was to use fashion to engage consumers to speak up against sexual exploitation, human trafficking, and the harms of porn. My goal was to use their shopping choices to support frontline organizations.
I donated 100% of my profit to a new charity each year. In total, my very small business sacrificially donated over $46,000.00! In 2025, I sold Redeemed With Purpose to like-minded, visionary women who will continue the mission.
Thank you to everyone who supported this unexpected business—and a special thanks to the stores who donated shelf space to us!
Escalate The Conversation
My focus now is to raise awareness around internet safety, with a special focus on educating and empowering parents and youth to recognize and resist the many online harms targeting youth today:
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Sexual exploitation
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Human trafficking
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Porn consumption
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Exposure to harmful content
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Phone addiction
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Sleep deprivation
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Video game addiction
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And more...
These dangers are real, aggressive, and relentless.
But we are not helpless.
We must be louder.
We must be bolder.
We must escalate the conversation.
If you’re ready to bring this message to your school, church, or organization—let’s talk. Every generation deserves to be informed, equipped, and empowered to live healthy, vibrant, purposeful lives!