Emma Thompson is one of my favorite actresses. I’m not sure anyone else could have made me almost cry while watching the uber-cheese fest Love Actually (the scene of her standing alone in the bedroom listening to Joni Mitchell is amazing). She always manages to find that little piece of humanity and portray it simply by looking at you.

And of course, it comes as no surprise that she is involved in charity. Her cause? The inspiring Helen Bamber Foundation. The foundation works with survivors of genocide, torture, trafficking and rape who seek safety and refuge. Their team is made up of human rights experts who are constantly working to come up with creative solutions to many of the world’s cruelties.

One of those creative solutions is an art installation project entitled Journey:

‘The installation is comprised of seven shipping containers, which you walk through, each of which represents a leg of the journey. It is designed to give the audience an engaged sensation of human trafficking.’ [Variety]

The installation is based on the story of Elena, a victim of human trafficking in the U.K.. She was originally from Moldova but at age 19 she started to be used for sexual exploitation. Part of her therapy was to help create Journey.

Thompson is featured in a powerful video for the project that you can watch here :

• http://www.helenbamber.org/IAmElena.html

And be sure to takepart and sign their petition to To ratify The Council of Europe Convention on Action Against the Trafficking in Human Beings.