I’m a professional fighter. I started as a kick boxer and became a champion- I wanted more.

I learned Muay Thai and went on to win 25 fights- I wanted more.

I started competing in JiuJitsu as well- I wanted more.

Then I met Somaly Mam and I instantly felt compelled to join her. Somaly is a FIGHTER; she’s fighting everyday, risking her life, to rescue young girls sold into sexual slavery. Through Somaly, I had found my new fight.

My friends and fellow fighters got involved with the Somaly Mam Foundation (SMF) over 3 years ago when I became a founding member of the SMF Young Professionals group. In our first year, we raised over $50,000 to rescue and recover women and children trafficked into sexual slavery. We hosted personal safety seminars for women in New York to support these efforts. We were lucky enough to train Cambodian survivors of trafficking right here at the Renzo Gracie Academy in New York.

Now we are taking it to the next level and launching the Joseph Sampieri Renzo Gracie Muay Thai Scholarship Fund to provide access to education for survivors of sexual slavery, ranging from supporting Voices for Change, a program designed to empower survivors to take action, to basic English classes or even a university scholarship. 

Your contributions go a long way. Here are some potential ways that your money could make a difference:

$20 supports short-course training in additional vocational skills

$35 supports monthly English training

$50 supports a full computer training course

$400  pays an annual university tuition

$120 covers school supplies

$100 covers clothing and hygiene materials

$720 covers her food for an entire year. That’s $60/month

$40 buys a bicycle so that a girl can attend class

$120 covers all other transportation and maintenance costs

$210 pays for one girl's annual insurance

In addition to her basic living costs, let’s help her purchase a laptop as well for $650.

$2,070 supports one year of university for a survivor of sex trafficking, including all expenses. Giving 5 women the opportunity to complete 4 years of university represents my goal of 44,650.

Join me in my latest fight: to give a girl- a survivor, a champion, a hero- the chance to continue fighting on her own terms.