What if every child had a safe place to belong … not just for a night, but for life?
For the past 17 years, Global Child Advocates (GCA), a nonprofit headquartered right here in Dripping Springs, has been answering that question for children around the world. With programs in Thailand, Myanmar, Tanzania, and the Philippines, GCA has protected over 45,000 children from abuse, trafficking, and exploitation and has helped preserve more than 10,700 families, ensuring every child has a safe and permanent family to call home.
Guiding this mission is Ashlee Heiligman, a Dripping Springs mom of two who holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work. After living in Thailand and witnessing the realities of child abuse and exploitation firsthand, especially for children growing up in orphanages, she returned to Texas with a deep conviction to get others involved. What began as a small group of friends and family has grown into a powerful community including hundreds of families now united in protecting children around the world.
With a strong local base, 83 percent of GCA’s funding comes from Texas families, many of whom are your Dripping Springs neighbors. That generosity is reaching across continents and creating lasting safety for thousands of children annually, including kids like Recho.
Seven-year-old Recho was trafficked from her rural village in Tanzania under the false promise of a better education. Separated from her loving parents and subjected to abuse, her story could have ended in tragedy. But instead, GCA’s team intervened and Recho was rescued and joyfully reunited with her mother and father. Their embrace was filled with tears, relief, and deep love. With GCA’s support, Recho is now thriving at home and in school, and her abuser is behind bars.
In Thailand and Myanmar, GCA prevents trafficking every day by helping Burmese families fleeing war. Parents overwhelmed by poverty, instability, and crisis can feel intense pressure to give up their children to orphanages. Yet traffickers prey on their vulnerabilities, and without the protection of a family, children become far more vulnerable to exploitation and harm.
This is why GCA’s mission goes far beyond rescue. It’s about lasting protection and system-wide change, from helping individual children to developing national child welfare strategies. This includes strengthening families before separation occurs by providing early childhood development and education to identify and support at-risk children.
GCA reunifies children in orphanages with safe family members, supports kinship care to keep kids with relatives they know and trust, and provides temporary foster care while safe permanent families are found. Leaders also consult with government partners to shift national approaches to child protection.
Additionally, GCA provides vocational training to help families break the cycles that lead to vulnerability. One beautiful expression of this is Sojourn Studio, GCA’s social enterprise that equips women with dignified work creating handcrafted porcelain jewelry and ornaments. These jobs provide income and stability for mothers, empowering them to keep and protect their children.
GlobalChildAdvocates.org |@globalchildadv
Called to Care
At its core, GCA is anchored by three core values. First is the belief that this is God’s work: Every rescue, reunification, and restored life is ultimately to His credit. That foundation is matched by a commitment to excellence without compromise, grounded in the conviction that vulnerable children deserve nothing less than our very best. Finally, GCA practices radical stewardship, ensuring that every gift is used thoughtfully and strategically to create the greatest possible impact for children.
For those who want to help more children find safe, permanent families, there are many ways to become part of the GCA community. Supporters can meet with Ashlee Heiligman to learn more about the organization’s work (ashlee@globalchildadvocates.org), shop at Sojourn Studio (SojournStudio.org), or sponsor or attend GCA’s annual gala, Boots & Bling, taking place in October. To stay up to date on events and opportunities, subscribe to GCA’s monthly newsletter at GlobalChildAdvocates.org.