Bio: Jorge de Guzman is a freelance graphic artist and martial arts expert who immigrated to Canada from the Philippines 35 years ago. He lives in Sarnia, Ont., where he runs martial arts classes at the YMCA. In 1999, de Guzman travelled to Thailand and saw first-hand the dangers of the sex trade. He has been conducting self-defence and abuse-prevention seminars in small communities across southeast Asia ever since. De Guzman is one of the top 10 finalists in CBC and Outpost magazine's Champions of Change contest. CBCNews.ca Your Voice asked him why he volunteers.

My story: Why do I volunteer? I don't have an answer to that. I know I like doing the work that I do, even though most of the time it feels like a hopeless cause because of the amount of problems, especially when it comes to child prostitution and human trafficking, which is rampant in the places that I go.

The only thing that fuels me is the knowledge that I could do something with a person -- perhaps change his or her life. That's the only thing that fuels me to continue doing this, even to the point of financial desperation.

I started in May 1999 when my mentor, who volunteered with sex abuse victims in southeast Asia, took me to Thailand. They had found this 12-year-old girl on the streets with a vibrator that had exploded inside her. I guess she was hired or paid by foreigners. My mentor took me to the hospital where she was confined and she died after the second day I met her. I talked to her, I met her and I watched her die. From that point on, I've refused to be silent about [sex abuse]. Since then, I've been fighting for the right for a person to be free of bondage ... sexual bondage, but especially underage bondage.

My purpose before was to teach martial arts, but after that exposure, I promised myself I'd do a little bit more for the people who could not help themselves. I promised to devote myself to the pursuit of awareness and knowledge, so people that are not aware of sexual or physical abuse will have a chance to know about it. I believe knowing about it is one way of preventing abuse, and in many parts of southeast Asia, awareness and the knowledge of abuse is not readily spoken of.

I go with a team of martial artists, who are my students, colleagues and friends, to remote areas of the countries, particularly in the Philippines. We visit the coastal areas, the mountain regions, the small communities, and we teach the children, 12 to 17 years old, about the perils of the sex trade. We teach them how to recognize abuse, how to divulge abuse if they are being abused, and how to basically kick or punch their way out of a situation as best they can to avoid the peril or even the fatality that goes with it.

I'm not sure how volunteering has changed me. But I know that every time I come home from a country that I go, I find myself thanking or appreciating what I have - family, community in this country.

We also want to share your stories of volunteerism. Tell us what volunteer work you do and answer this question: "Why do you volunteer?" We may feature you on our website as well. Let us know in the comments below, email us at yournews@cbc.ca, or leave a message on Facebook or Twitter. You can vote for your favourite Champion of Change here.