Human trafficking was the topic of a special event hosted by Wellesley College's chapter of Amnesty International. The speakers, an MSNBC Anchor/Correspondent and the founder of an organization fighting the practice the world over.

Richard Lui of MSNBC began the presentation with some frightening statistics. He said, at that moment, over 12.3 million people were being trafficked--around twice the population of Massachusetts.

Lui then put up a photo of a young girl named May. They had interviewed her while working undercover in an Indonesian cafe known for trafficking. 

"She [May] was sitting behind a, well, I call it a 'meat rack,'" Lui explained. "They were talking like, 'do you want sirloin?' ...that kind of discussion."

Lui and his colleague bought May's company for $35. They selected her because she was described as the most "popular" girl, meaning she had been picked for the last 35 days in a row. 

Lui's coverage of human trafficking and the plight of those affected brought him to Ghana, where he met James Kofi Annan, founder of Challenging Heights. A former employee of Barclays Bank, Kofi Annan's experiences compelled him out of the business world and into a small school in Africa.

James Kofi Annan is a former child slave.

"Of the six of us who were trafficked together, three of us are alive," began Kofi Annan.

Work began at 3 a.m. for the children. The day's work included tending and casting nets, diving, hauling, and countless other challenging tasks. The day ended at 8 p.m.

Kofi Annan added, "During that typical day, I'd have one meal." 

"When you attempt to escape, the consequences of that are brutal," Kofi Annan explained. "Chance of being caught was high."

This is because the slaves could go days without seeing more than one vehicle, often the same boat used by traffickers. That isn't to say he never tried. After being caught on one occasion, his captors tied a noose around his neck and dragged him through the community, making an example to other would-be flight risks.

He recounted a day when he was diving because a net had been thrown incorrectly. Because a child slave costs the equivalent of $40, and a net was worth closer to $200, penalties for mistakes with fishing equipment were high. He was deep underwater when the current changed above him. Short on breath already, the struggling Kofi Annan came up to find the boat directly overhead. He nearly drowned.

When he came to, with the aid of burnt spicy peppers placed under his nose, he found blood covering his body. 

"That was the point when I knew I had to get out of there." Kofi Annan was between 11 and 12 years old when this happened. "I am glad that I was able to escape."

Years passed, finding Kofi Annan with a master's degree and a position in Barclays Bank. He expressed a feeling that he had more than he needed, and says he asked his employer to give 60% of his paycheck toward ending child slavery. Then, he quit his job and founded Challenging Heights. Last year, the organization helped a total of 927 children. Of those, 368 were taught at the Challenging Heights school, where Lui found Kofi Annan.

"But there are still others that we need to help," Kofi Annan quickly adds.  One of the biggest challenges is a mindset instilled in the children. "It has been put in them that there is no better life somewhere else."