Dean Brody is a Canadian country music artist. Years ago, he promised himself that if he were to become successful, he would use his profile as an artist to do something to help others - specifically, young children at risk of human trafficking and child prostitution. During the past three years Dean has experienced tremendous success. With multiple Canadian Country Music awards, numerous other nominations, chart topping radio singles, and a growing fan base, he felt the time was right to do something about that promise he’d made. In November of 2010, Dean and his wife, Iris, established “The Dean Brody Foundation” as a registered non- profit organization. Dean shares more about his journey below:

The Girl at the Side of the Road

I’ll never forget her. She was a toothpick shadow caught in our headlights on the side of a dusty Brazilian motorway at 1:23 in the morning. We pulled up and rolled the window down and she quietly started talking with us in Portuguese. She had a big purple bow in her hair and she wore a baby blue sundress with flowers embroidered on it. It hung loosely from her small bones, a frail little thing there leaning in on the side of our door. She might have weighed eighty pounds, and she was a child prostitute.

She was about to climb in the car but we said that wouldnʼt be possible, but could we talk with her at the side of the road. She kept huddled with her arms across herself and shared a little about her story. There came a point in our conversation when she realized we really hadnʼt stopped to use her and she became vulnerable and even smiled. She had big eyes and an innocent shyness about her, like a kid might be I guess. She told us her name was Leilah.

After a while, Leilah said she should go. Matt took time to tell her how much more precious she was than the lunch money she was sold for and she managed another smile and then she turned and walked back down the 116, illuminated and dwarfed by the blinding yellow headlights of oncoming transport trucks. They roared past her, spitting diesel exhaust and billows of dust at her flowered blue dress until after a time, she disappeared into darkness.

I had never seen it. I had read about it, talked about it, and wanted to do something about it, but to see it up close was another thing altogether, and it busted me up.

UNICEF has reported that there are approximately 500,000 children involved in prostitution in the Republic of Brazil. Some organizations put that number closer to 2 million. According to Wikipedia, Thailand is the only country in the world where the situation is worse.

A year ago I read a book called “Remember Me, Rescue Me” by British journalist Matt Roper. He had spent seven years in Brazil documenting the different layers of child prostitution – from roadside brothels to mining camp sex slavery deep in the Amazon. Girls as young as ten. I could hardly believe what I was reading and I think because I have a daughter of my own – it hit me hard. I was descending into Nashville to record “Wildflower” and “Roll That Barrel Out” and I remember thinking there must be something we could do to help.

In November of 2010, Matt and I – along with the help of one extraordinary woman, opened a house for girls in the favelas (slums) of Pedreira, Brazil. Pedreira is translated “rock quarry” and so the house was named Pedra Viva – meaning “living stones” – a name of inspiration to the children living among the quarry.

I still think about Leilah all the time. I find myself looking at the clock at night and wondering where sheʼs at, (sheʼs only a time zone away), and then I think about my daughter Molly and how sheʼs safe in her bed and how she will get to be a kid and grow up and do what little girls should be doing. And that really is what this project is all about. Giving girls a chance to be girls. Iʼm so excited about what is going on in Pedreira and what the days ahead will accomplish along the BR-116. Thank you for helping, youʼre changing a future.

-Dean