A Heart for Advocacy: Hannah Hartman ’24 on Working with International Justice Mission in the Philippines 

As their four years of college come to a close, many seniors wonder what to do next. How do they find work that honors both their personal passions and their calling as Christians? For Hannah Hartman ’24 (English and communication arts) that answer came in an opportunity to fly across the world to the Philippines to take on a 12-month internship with International Justice Mission (IJM). 

Living in a country vastly different from the United States, with urban infrastructure and public transportation systems still developing and densely populated, Hartman stepped into IJM’s three-part mission “to protect people in poverty from violence by rescuing victims, bringing criminals to justice and restoring survivors to safety and strength.” With this in mind, Hartman focused on advocacy for abused children and cultivating hope amidst poverty. 

Working with International Justice Mission

Hartman at the International Justice Mission center in the Phillippines.

As a nongovernmental organization, IJM has offices across the globe to fight crimes in countries where poverty weighs heavily on the criminal justice system. Recently, IJM Philippines pivoted to fighting the crime of online sexual abuse or exploitation of children (OSAEC).  

Based on a recent study by IJM and the University of Nottingham, nearly 500,000 Filipino children’s sexual exploitation or abuse was livestreamed, and nearly a quarter of a million adult Filipinos trafficked children to produce new child sexual exploitation material in 2022. 

To combat OSAEC the IJM Philippines office is staffed entirely by Filipino workers, and their collaborative efforts with the Philippine government focus on prosecution, law enforcement and aftercare. Prosecutors fight to convict perpetrators and defend victims, investigators seek out children subjected to crime and social workers help children and families move towards restoration. 

Based on previous studies completed when IJM Philippines was just starting their program to combat OSAEC in 2016, the country used to be a global hotspot for OSAEC. “Now IJM Philippines is leading the world in how to handle and eradicate this crime,” Hartman said. 

Life as an International Justice Mission Intern 

Hartman on a hike in the Phillippines.

Hartman supports all three IJM departments as an executive intern, and she works closely with the director of the Manila Program office. She focuses on administrative work, which includes attending meetings, giving presentations, facilitating document signings and hosting events.  

Hartman also supports her team as they make connections with potential partners, mayors or other government officials. Mobilizing local organizations to continue their work against OSAEC is something Hartman is passionate about because “that's how IJM's mission is sustainable. I get to witness what advocacy looks like through. . . networking and partnerships," she said. 

Living in Manila for her internship made Hartman immediately face the reality of life in a developing country. “The city doesn't function to serve its citizens due to government corruption, economic issues and lack of resources,” she says. “And the sad part is that no one is fixing them.”  

The overcrowding, neglected infrastructure, government corruption and intense poverty make Filipino children more susceptible to online sexual abuse. For Hartman, this daily reality is a reminder of what IJM Philippines is up against in their mission to bring justice to the country. 

A Call Towards Missions 

The most impactful moments of her international work have been Hartman's interactions with abuse survivors. One of the most memorable experiences was visiting a shelter where survivors aged 2–16 are rehabilitated after being rescued.  

“Meeting them gave my work a completely new meaning,” Hartman said. “Interacting with them brought their humanity, dignity and innocence into sharper focus. Now when I engage in advocacy and policy briefings with government officials, I think of those children because they are who we are fighting for.” 

Growing up as a missionary kid in the Czech Republic, Hartman has always had a strong understanding of advocacy and Kingdom work. However, Hartman’s experience at IJM has changed her idea of what missions can look like.  

“This work at IJM differs from my missionary experience because it brings the concepts of good versus evil and biblical justice into secular, governmental and international spaces, where the pursuit of the biblical value of shalom—human flourishing—and basic human rights are central. It also immerses me in some of the darkest realities of sin, death and brokenness,” she said. 

Faith and Restoration 

In the midst of crime and poverty, Hartman admits that it can feel hard to continue the work of justice. However, the gift of pursuing justice according to the God’s plan is that he provides hope. “The work that we do is dark, the world that we live in is dark, but we know that there is a light in the hope of Jesus,” Hartman said.    

Whether across the world or within our own country, communities and workplaces, Christians can face challenging and sometimes hopeless situations as we confront the brokenness around us. “God is the reason why we can take these kids, these survivors, these victims and put them in a place where there is hope to be restored,” Hartman said. “Restoration is always a goal for us. Reconciliation is always a goal for us.” 

Emily Jones ‘25, English language and literature