“The locusts of everyday violence have been allowed to swarm unabated in the developing world. And they are laying waste to the hope of the poor.”-Gary A. Haugen and Victor Boutros in their new book, The Locust Effect

I have had the rare privilege of being mentored for the last nine years by Gary Haugen, Founder and President of International Justice Mission. His first book, The Good News About Injustice, provided the courage I needed to commit myself to ultimately founding and leading Blood:Water. It’s a book that changed the way I thought about the world, and my place in it.

And now, Gary has come out with another powerful book that turns our world views upside down—and brings attention to the underlying structural violence that targets and plagues the poor.

His work and advocacy are personal to us at Blood:Water because we and our African partners come face-to-face every day with the reality that poor people are vulnerable to violence, especially sexual violence.

Everyday activities like going to school, gathering water, using a communal restroom or taking public transport are dangerous to so many women and girls across Africa.

The truth is that 4 billion people—that most of the world’s poorest people—live in places where their justice systems don’t or can’t protect them from these kinds of “everyday violence.” Our collective goal is to awaken the world to the nature of everyday violence against the poor and inspire with hope that we can end it!

Our friends at International Justice Mission just put together this unforgettable video that shows what the world is up against as we work together to help our poorest neighbors. You won’t want to miss the powerful moment at 1:48—our fight against poverty is worth safeguarding.

Want more? Check out The Locust Effect, by IJM’s president Gary A. Haugen, which released today.