On August 3, 2021 the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) and the European Freedom Network (EFN) announced a partnership to launch the World Freedom Network (WFN). WFN will sit at the interface of Christian anti-trafficking professionals, NGOs and ministries and churches engaging in combating human trafficking and providing a safe, restorative community for survivors.

The European Evangelical Alliance (EEA) has had a vision to see Christians working together in the anti-trafficking space for over 10 years now. “EEA has been a great supporter of EFN since our beginning, providing connection and assistance to EFN when original founders, Jennifer Roemhildt Tunehag and Julia Doxat-Purser, started the network. EFN have regularly been a part of EEA gatherings and is proudly an EEA Hope for Europe Network. We believe in inviting people to collaborate on the ‘dance floor’ as we so often hear Thomas Bucher say. After 10 years of operation, EFN is delighted to be able to partner with WEA to create the World Freedom Network,” said Leanne Rhodes, the Executive Director of EFN and the newly appointed Global Director of WFN.

The World Freedom Network will be developed over the next five years, through the development of autonomous regional networks and a focused approach to Church Engagement.

“The church has a unique and crucial role in preventing exploitation and welcoming survivors into the family of God. Justice and freedom are in our DNA. WFN will engage the church in strategic and practical ways: creating training, resources and tools for congregations; working with Bible schools and seminaries as they prepare the next generation of leaders for the church; and equipping the Church as a voice for freedom,” said Jennifer Roemhildt Tunehag, who will lead Church Engagement and serve in Network Development for WFN.

Rhodes stated, “This is an exciting journey for EFN. We want to thank Thomas Bucher and EEA for supporting us into what we are today. We look forward to continued collaboration in this next chapter as we continue to work in Europe and develop new work across the globe.”