Courtesy of Savhera
Savhera, an essential oil company, aims to empower victims of sex trafficking.
Spending time in jail was the first time sex trafficking survivor Ava, who did not want her last name disclosed, had a moment to silence her mind — away from the manipulation, coercion, and toxicity the sexual exploitation industry thrives on. It was then she realized what was being done to her wasn’t right; she wanted better for herself, but she needed a plan.
“I just [wanted] to learn how to be human — I don’t want to be in this life anymore,” Ava says. “But I [didn’t] know how to get out though.”
Ava’s journey began with her lawyer connecting her to Valiant Hearts, a non-governmental organization (NGO) that provides emergency housing, customized care, and educational resources to survivors of sexual exploitation.
Through the organization, Ava worked through an extensive healing therapy program, but when time came to reintegrate into society, she ran into another roadblock.
“I had [an] extensive criminal history because of when I was trafficked — I had charges that my trafficker had put on [my record],” Ava says. “I looked vigorously for months and was just constantly denied.”
That’s when Valiant Hearts introduced Ava to former Texas Christian University political science professor Vanessa Bouche and her essential oils company Savhera, founded to provide dignified employment to sex trafficking survivors in India and the U.S.
“This is not a handout,” Bouche says. “This is about giving people transferable skills and the sustainable job skills they need to make a living so that they can make their own choices with their lives.”
Bouche had been teaching about sex trafficking for years, but it was two women she encountered while leading a study abroad trip in India who inspired the company.
“Why should I tell you my story?” Bouche recalls one of the women saying. “Why would I tell you anything about myself? You are no different than the people that come here and exploit me for my body.”
The woman’s words resonated with Bouche — survivors need someone to actively advocate on their behalf and help them build a better life.
Within a few months, the essential oils company was born to employ survivors of sexual exploitation in India and the U.S. Bouche told the women from India she was starting the company to employ them — and that they would have naming rights.
Two weeks later, the women came back with the name Savhera, a Hindi word for a new beginning or a new dawn.
“The idea of a new beginning is that the sun always rises in the morning,” Bouche says. “No matter how dark your past has been, no matter how dark your night was, the sun always rises.”
Ava was longing for a reminder of the promise of a new dawn as she faced constant rejection from entry level positions when Bouche reached out to the NGO Ava was at, searching for survivors to employ at Savhera. Ava recalls the infectious, open-minded excitement Bouche expressed when they first met.
“I had an ankle monitor on at the time and was on probation,” Ava says. “Everything was like, on paper saying ‘don’t hire this person.’ Vanessa looked past all of that and knew there was potential that just needed to be unlocked.”
At Savhera, Ava and the other survivors employed in the U.S. build on valuable skills necessary to enter the professional workforce — like spreadsheets, fulfillment inventory management, and communication.
Employment at Savhera looks a bit different in India, especially since the country was devastated by COVID-19. Savhera’s office in India was shut down for several months in 2020 and 2021, but that hasn’t stopped Bouche and her team from supporting the survivors they employ.
“As a company that exists to support the livelihoods of survivors of trafficking [and] recognizing their extreme vulnerability if they’re not being paid — we were committed to getting them through that entire lockdown,” Bouche says.
In India, survivors employed at Savhera mainly handle the production activities of making sustainable packaging and diffusing accessories.
There is one primary aspect that employment with Savhera in the U.S. and India has in common: It is healing and empowerment focused.
“It’s just an environment where it’s okay wherever you’re at,” Ava says. “So, I’ve just been able to intellectually flourish. I’ve been empowered to continue to grow.”
For those seeking to support the company and sex trafficking survivors, the best way to do so is by shopping Savhera’s “incredibly pure” and certified organic collection of essential oils, diffusers, and gift sets available only on its website and at the Dallas Farmers Market every weekend, Bouche says.
“[Savhera is] supporting employment for women that desperately need the rest of the world to come alongside and say, ‘We actually do see you, and we actually do care about you,’” Bouche says. “You cannot get that with any other essential oil company or aromatherapy company in the world. It’s kind of a no-brainer for people to understand. If you love aromatherapy and you love human beings — this is it.”
