Google Donates $11.5 Million to Fight Slavery

By: Claudio E. Cabrera | Posted: December 14, 2011 at 1:50 PM

Did you know that Google had a philanthropic arm called Google.org?

Well, if you didn't know, now you do because of the news that Google.org will donate $11.5 million to fight slavery around the world.

The donation, announced by the tech giant earlier today, will fight to end the modern-day enslavement of more than 27 million people.

"Many people are surprised to learn there are more people trapped in slavery today than any time in history," Jacqueline Fuller, director of charitable giving and advocacy for Google, told the Associated Press. "The good news is that there are solutions."

Google will partner with the International Justice Mission, Polaris Project, Slavery Footprint and a handful of other small organizations dedicated to this fight. They hope to draft anti-slavery legislation and help push for better infrastructure and resources for anti-slavery organizations.

"Each year we focus some of our annual giving on meeting direct human need," Fuller told the Associated Press. "Google chose to spotlight the issue of slavery this year because there is nothing more fundamental than freedom."

The new project will show Americans how they can combat slavery by informing them of what clothing companies and phone manufacturers may have their fabrics or parts made by forced labor.

Slavery wasn't the only cause that Google decided to help this year. It has also donated $40 million, for example, to other causes this year in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education.

Read more at the Huffington Post.

Like The Root on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter.