MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — A South Florida woman who survived childhood sexual abuse is transforming her pain into purpose through a nonprofit dedicated to preventing human trafficking and supporting survivors.
Tania Andre, founder of The Mavuno Project, shared her story as part of Local 10’s Good News South Florida series, describing how years of silence eventually led her to a mission of education, advocacy and hope.
“Storytelling is healing,” Andre said.
Breaking years of silence
Andre said she was sexually abused when she was 3 years old but kept the abuse a secret for decades.
“I was sexually abused at the age of 3 years old,” she said.
For years, she said, she chose not to speak out because she didn’t want to change how others viewed her family.
“For many years, I held onto that. I didn’t want to ruin anything that people thought about our family,” Andre said.
She remained silent until her mid-30s, even as she built a successful career as a marketing executive.
But after 17 years in the corporate world, Andre said she realized professional success could no longer outweigh the emotional burden she had carried.
“After 17 years, I called the VP of the company and I told him that I was quitting,” she said.
Andre said her faith guided her through the uncertainty that followed.
“That’s when I really had to hone into my faith and say, ‘What’s next?’” she said.
An unexpected calling
Andre said she felt led to an unlikely place — a local strip club — where she began selling jewelry and building relationships with women working there.
Over the course of more than a year, she listened as many shared stories of sexual abuse, exploitation and trafficking.
“I knew that I was in a place to be (a) light,” Andre said. “And that I needed to be a voice to let people know that this was happening.”
Those experiences inspired her to launch The Mavuno Project in 2017.
“Mavuno,” the Swahili word for “harvest,” reflects the organization’s mission to prevent human trafficking through education while offering hope to survivors.
Educating communities and preventing trafficking
Today, Andre balances her work as an advocate with life as a wife and mother, leading an organization that provides human trafficking prevention programs in schools, churches and communities.
“Our mission is to prevent human trafficking with education and a message of hope,” she said.
The nonprofit has expanded well beyond South Florida, conducting outreach in six to seven countries and helping support a safe house for survivors in Honduras.
Closer to home, The Mavuno Project has educated more than 8,000 students in Broward and Miami-Dade counties, providing resources to students, educators and families about recognizing and preventing trafficking.
Andre said the organization also encourages parents to take steps to protect children online, including using safety software on their phones.
She has found particular encouragement in working with college students.
“It’s in the college campuses that we’ve been seeing survivors starting to feel empowered,” she said.
Turning pain into purpose
Looking back, Andre says sharing her story has become part of her healing process and has allowed others to begin their own journeys toward recovery.
“I am living life now for something greater than myself,” she said. “And I think I find great joy, great joy in that.”
The Mavuno Project continues to offer educational presentations for schools, churches and community organizations while raising support for its anti-trafficking efforts both locally and abroad.
Click here for more information about The Mavuno Project or to get involved.
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