In this episode of Ventures, my guest Audrey Baedke (https://www.linkedin.com/in/audrey-baedke-93724290/) and I discuss Real Escape from the Sex Trade (REST - https://iwantrest.com). We talk about the origins of the nonprofit, the impact they have had, the dynamics of the sex trade in general, how humans are enslaved, and how REST provides tangible pathways to freedom, safety, and hope. As a board member and donor myself, I would ask that you **please** consider joining us with a year-end gift.

Visit https://satchel.works/@wclittle/ventures-episode-159 for more information. 

You can watch this episode via video here.   

1:58 - Introduction to the episode. Will’s board involvement. What is REST? 

3:00 - How Audrey got involved with REST 

4:15 - Describing the problem of sex trafficking in the USA

7:43 - Responding to the common idea that selling sex is just among consenting adults and harmless

10:17 - Understanding market dynamics here - buyers, sellers, brokers

11:17 - Supply and demand dynamics, how “products” are treated

12:24 - Modern-day slavery

12:39 - How is REST addressing the problem?

14:25 - For those considering year-end donations - what amount of money would have a real impact? 

16:16 - How many years does it take to help someone leave “the life” within REST’s services?

17:37 - REST’s quantitative impact - 4400+ individuals served, Work with more than 600 every year, 300 that enroll in services. 

18:12 - An example story of a survivor

21:05 - Hearing the stories like this board meeting after board meeting

21:39 - REST’s expansion plans beyond the greater Seattle area

22:59 - If someone wants to give, where can they go to do this? https://iwantrest.com // Also how to contact Audrey directly.

See also a previous episode on this show about REST: https://satchel.works/@wclittle/ventures-episode-3 

For more information about sex trafficking in America, see: https://www.state.gov/humantrafficking-about-human-trafficking/ 

Be aware of the National Human Trafficking Hotline (Hours: 24 hours, 7 days a week. Languages: English, Spanish) – 888-373-7888

In this episode of Ventures, I (https://linkedin.com/in/wclittle) walk through a number of updates with my for-profit and nonprofit venture work. I talk about Prota Ventures, our second fund, how we get operationally involved in our portfolio companies, and who we serve. As an example, I discuss my involvement with AI Layer, which is a new company providing AI inference computing services that leverages an upcoming Web3 protocol that will be decentralized and widely available next year. Finally, I talk about updates - and my volunteering involvement - with Impact Stream and Real Escape from the Sex Trade (REST). 

Visit https://satchel.works/@wclittle/ventures-episode-158 for more information. 

You can watch this episode via video here. 

0:30 - quick overview of Will’s bio and current activities - check out https://www.protaventures.com 

1:15 - More about how Prota Ventures services Founders, Investors, and Talent. 

2:00 - Investing multiple forms of capital (not just financial capital)

2:40 - More about AI Layer - decentralized compute for AI inference

3:45 - West Africa work - Impact Stream updates http://impact.stream - local people solving local problems 

4:35 - Beyond the standard development work, more about the well-drilling business

5:15 - More specifically about Impact Stream’s vision of connecting digital communities to IRL impact. Quadratic Voting mechanism. Local projects and funding pool on-chain.

6:36 - More about Real Escape from the Sex Trade (REST) see more from Episode 2 → https://satchel.works/@wclittle/ventures-episode-3 

In this episode of Ventures, my guest Hans Mulders (https://obertal.com/leavenworth-wa-hotel-owner/) and I recorded a conversation while we were on-site at a demonstration farm in Togo, West Africa. We had just helped dozens of local Togolese people onboard into a progressive web application that we are building with Impact Stream (https://impact.stream), a new NGO helping to decentralize poverty alleviation via trust networks and blockchain technology. In our conversation we cover how Hans got involved in Impact Stream and how to smartly use technology and aid to sustainably help lift people out of poverty.

Visit https://satchel.works/@wclittle/ventures-episode-157 for more information. 

You can watch this episode via video here. 

0:03 - Intro to the episode 

1:35 - On-site intro - application we are onboarding Togolese into with Impact Stream

1:57 - Who is Hans? Why is he here with Will and the Impact Stream team in Togo? Origin story how Hans and Will met.

3:20 - “Can I come”? (Hans asking to come to Togo with us). Productive and effective aid in Africa.

3:53 - What kinds of projects does Hans hope to see funded in Togo?

4:45 - The need for basic infrastructure

5:07 - How do we inject financial aid into projects in Togo that help the local economy? How do we ensure the projects are regenerative and sustainable?

6:24 - Impact Stream manages the flow of money. More info about blockchain technology that Impact Stream will be using.