We had the good fortune of connecting with Christine Allen and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Christine, can you talk to us a bit about the social impact of your business?
Ark of the Rainbow empowers underpriviledged families in India to overcome poverty and prevent human trafficking. We transform lives through our work in education, gender equality, anti-human trafficking awareness, leadership development, and family health.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
In 2009, I took a leave of absence from my corporate job to help fight human trafficking in India. What I realized during my time there was that trafficking was a symptom of extreme poverty. It would be impossible to end human trafficking without addressing the root cause and lifting people out of poverty. I started Ark of the Rainbow with the goal of helping children from underprivileged backgrounds break the cycle of poverty, realize their hopes and dreams, and become self-sufficient, contributing members of society. We began with one small group of kids and a few women dedicated to making an impact where they could. Soon thereafter we added a leadership program for at-risk teen girls in the community. As the school grew, we added one more grade, and then another. We also added health services. college scholarships, and programs for teen boys and for the women in the community. I love my job. It’s not easy because I gave up a great income to pursue an area where I felt I could really make a difference. But every day I see the direct impact of my work and the lives that are being changed and I know it’s all worth it. It’s an honor to be able to do this work.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I spent a lot of my free time at the Dallas Arboretum. It’s such a beautiful gem and relaxing getaway in our city!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to give a shoutout to the company I used to work at, Frito-Lay (PepsiCo), for allowing me a sabbatical that allowed me to move to India to pursue my dream of learning more about poverty and how to prevent it.

Website: www.arkoftherainbow.org
Instagram: www.instagram.com/arkoftherainbow (or @ArkofTheRainbow)
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ArkOfTheRainbow

Image Credits
Matt Hawthorne, Angela Weedon

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