At 27, Salome Geiger arrived in Cape Town alone, without knowing anyone, stepping into a life she describes as both overwhelming and deeply formative. This was the beginning of a journey that would, years later, link her efforts to the work of Beyond Priceless. This organisation tackles human trafficking issues that impact Cape Town. All of these elements are central to the story: Beyond Priceless, human trafficking, and Cape Town.
“The last 15 years have never been easy,” she said. “Everything was exciting, but it also made me ask, ‘What am I getting myself into?’”
Today, she is the founder and chief executive officer of Beyond Priceless, an organisation working across South Africa to combat human trafficking, exploitation and abuse through prevention, awareness and survivor support.
A calling shaped by faith and early education
Originally from Germany, Geiger grew up in a faith-centred home and says she always felt drawn to working with children and vulnerable women. The reach of Beyond Priceless has shaped human trafficking interventions in Cape Town. Furthermore, it goes beyond ordinary activism, embodying a mission that is truly beyond priceless.
“I always knew I wanted to be a kindergarten teacher, and I knew I wanted to be a missionary,” she said. “I had the privilege of growing up in a lovely home centred in faith, and I wanted to make God known and share that.”
Her studies in early childhood development took her across Europe, including Germany and Spain. In these countries, she encountered very different approaches to learning.
“In Germany, it was all about play,” she said. “In Spain, it was more academic. The people were so friendly, and it gave me a love for nations.”
Confronting poverty and exploitation in South Africa
Geiger said her first experience in South Africa changed her understanding of inequality and vulnerability and revealed the urgent need for organisations like Beyond Priceless. These organisations work to tackle human trafficking in Cape Town and beyond. This highlights how the problem of human trafficking in Cape Town is central to Beyond Priceless’s work.
“I have never seen poverty so close to one another,” she said. “From the beginning, I worked in a place of safety, and it was shocking.”
Despite this, she also found a strong sense of connection.
“South Africans are very hospitable and open-hearted,” she said. “I have made really good friends here that I still have today.”
A personal experience that became a public mission
Her passion for protecting vulnerable women is rooted in personal experience. This developed into volunteering with organisations connected to both Beyond Priceless and broader human trafficking awareness programmes in Cape Town. The intersection of Beyond Priceless, human trafficking prevention, and Cape Town outreach shaped her personal mission.
“It is my own experience of walking through abuse that gave me a passion for vulnerable women,” she said.
While living in Amsterdam, she also encountered women involved in prostitution, an experience that reshaped her understanding of exploitation.
“They would say, ‘No, we love what we do,’” she said. “But as I built relationships with them, I realised many wanted to break free and were actually forced into that life and were abused.”
That realisation became a turning point in her work, strengthening her commitment to creating safe spaces for survivors. For instance, outreach through Beyond Priceless, focusing on human trafficking survivors in Cape Town, now defines her day-to-day purpose.
Building systems of prevention and rescue
Through Beyond Priceless, Geiger and her team focus on both prevention and intervention as part of their fight against human trafficking—especially in at-risk areas like Cape Town. The prevention strategies developed by Beyond Priceless address the very real human trafficking problems that affect Cape Town residents.
“We don’t just rescue children, we rebuild lives,” she said.
One of the organisation’s key initiatives, Truckers Against Trafficking, trains and engages truck drivers to identify and report suspicious activity on South Africa’s roads.
“We have done a huge survey with truck drivers to come to a safe space where they can become whistleblowers,” she said. “They are often in positions where they can see things others cannot.”
The organisation also runs stakeholder training for government departments, schools, churches and community groups, raising awareness about the challenges of Cape Town and its struggle against human trafficking. They also focus on the broader Beyond Priceless mission. All these programmes support the Beyond Priceless goals of fighting human trafficking in Cape Town and beyond.
“Trust building is major,” she said. “We also look at mental state and health.”
Beyond Priceless additionally works on community development projects and provides places of safety for survivors in need. In particular, these projects impact survivors affected by human trafficking in Cape Town. This demonstrates how Beyond Priceless’s commitment makes a difference.
Expansion and future plans
The organisation is now expanding its reach, including plans to establish a safe space in the Karoo and extend outreach programmes across more communities. As such, Beyond Priceless’s vision for human trafficking prevention in Cape Town continues to deepen and adapt. This means their efforts are truly beyond priceless for the region.
“The work is growing so fast,” Geiger said. “Human trafficking is hidden in plain sight. We need to educate ourselves and stand up for the voiceless.”
How the public can help
Geiger says ordinary people play a critical role in prevention and awareness, especially when it comes to problems like Beyond Priceless’s efforts against human trafficking in Cape Town. In other words, getting involved with Beyond Priceless to help address human trafficking in Cape Town is a way the public can make a real impact.
“You can invite us to your church or your school,” she said. “We are also looking for volunteers.”
Beyond Priceless continues to rely on partnerships, training sessions and public awareness to strengthen its impact. For more information on their activities involving human trafficking and their projects in Cape Town, you can learn about Beyond Priceless’s mission and future outreach plans.
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