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Protect, Educate, Empower

Partner with us in our mission to eradicate child exploitation and create a world where every child can grow up safe, empowered, and loved. Together, we can give children the future they deserve.

About Us

Marianco is a global nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting children from the horrors of trafficking, exploitation and abuse. Founded by Francisco Padilla, a former street orphan from Cartagena, Colombia, Marianco is committed to safeguarding the rights of children and ensuring they have a future full of hope and opportunities. We believe that every child deserves to grow up in a world where they are protected, valued, and empowered to reach their full potential.

Learn more about our work

What we work on

  • Children arms on shoulders

    Child trafficking

    Children are moved across borders and sold. We work where that begins — with families under pressure, schools that can spot the warning signs, and communities that know what to do when a child goes missing.

  • Children in a circle

    Child sexual abuse material

    Every image is a record of a real child being harmed, and it keeps circulating long after the abuse stops. We support reporting, removal and the slow work of helping survivors live with it.

  • Children sitting on wall

    Commercial sexual exploitation

    Children are not selling anything. They are being sold — usually by someone they know, often because there is no other way to eat. We work on both the adults who exploit and the poverty they rely on.

How we work

  • Protect

    We help families, teachers and neighbours recognise how children are approached, and what to do in the hours that matter.

  • Educate

    School programmes, workshops and scholarships. A child who stays in school is far harder to reach.

  • Empower

    Skills training and support for the adults around a child, so the family is not forced into the choice traffickers rely on.

Our partners

What the numbers show
Child exploitation, as measured by the bodies that track it

The scale

  • 1.2 million

    Children trafficked each year — ILO/UNICEF estimate

  • 1 million

    Children in commercial sexual exploitation — ILO estimate

  • 70–80%

    Of identified child trafficking victims are girls — UNODC Global Report

  • 36.2 million

    Reports of suspected online child sexual exploitation in 2023 — NCMEC CyberTipline

  • Estimates are inherently uncertain: these crimes are hidden, and the true figures are almost certainly higher. Each number above names the organisation that published it and the year, so you can check it yourself.

Upcoming Events

Join us in making a difference. Participate in our upcoming events and initiatives.

Featured Articles

Discover our latest insights, research, and stories about protecting children and creating lasting change.

The ethics of researching child abuse

October 24, 2025

The ethics of researching child abuse

There are different kinds of ways we can use to find information about child abuse cases, BUT surveying remains one of the most effective methods. To survey child abuse, a complex process that requires strict ethical protocols and specialized methods, researchers must prioritize the safety and well-being of participants. A survey can target the prevalence of abuse in a population or be used for screening and clinical assessment in healthcare settings. HOWEVER, there are many ethical considerations before conducting such research such as age, anonymity

Read Article
Child Molestation and Sexual Exploitation in Africa: Confronting a Silent Emergency

October 17, 2025

Child Molestation and Sexual Exploitation in Africa: Confronting a Silent Emergency

Across Africa, millions of children are growing up under the shadow of sexual violence and exploitation. Behind closed doors, in schools, in refugee camps, and increasingly across digital spaces, countless boys and girls face abuses that rob them of dignity, safety, and the promise of a better future. The crisis is urgent — yet too often invisible. It demands not only compassion but also coordinated, sustained action from governments, communities, and international partners.

Read Article

Make a Difference Today

Your donation helps us protect vulnerable children and fight against exploitation. Every contribution, no matter how small, brings us closer to a world where every child is safe.

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