Meet the woman behind The Aruna Project
Today, we're meeting April Berg with the Aruna Project!
Tell us about you and your background!
I am the co-founder of the Aruna Project. I’ve always been passionate about helping people. I was a student-athlete in college and later became a nurse, not realizing at the time how those hands-on experiences would prepare me for something so much bigger. I’m married to my high school sweetheart, and we’re raising our three amazing kids in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Tell us about The Aruna Project and how it got started!
In 2010, my husband Ryan and I took a trip to India for work. We were completely unprepared for what we saw—a news headline about 12 underage girls being “rescued” from a brothel in the same city we were traveling to. That moment changed everything. We connected with a local NGO, and what we saw firsthand in South Asia’s red-light districts left a deep impact on us.
What started as a personal awakening turned into years of research and travel. We couldn’t ignore the reality of modern-day slavery and the heartbreaking cycle of re-trafficking. We felt a strong calling to be a voice for the women caught in that system.
In 2014, we launched the Aruna Project—Aruna means "bright morning sun" in Hindi. Our mission is to create lifelong freedom through employment and holistic care, so every woman has the opportunity to choose her own path.
What does Aruna do?
Aruna is more than just a brand—we’re a movement. We’re a nonprofit and a business, creating premium athleisure bags and accessories made entirely by women who’ve been freed from trafficking. People can get involved in this movement by buying products, donating, and participating in our Aruna Run Series, a network of 10K/5K races across the country. Every donation, every Aruna Run, every product purchase goes directly toward what we call “the freedom process.”
Our products are made with pride by our incredible Artisans, using sustainable and Bluesign-certified materials. Every item tells a story of strength, resilience, and new beginnings—whether it’s in South Asia or here in the U.S., where we also provide employment for survivors. The proceeds from the sale of the products are reinvested into the Freedom Business to fund the holistic care each woman receives: a living wage, transitional housing, healthcare, retirement savings, and trauma counseling.
What do you love about the Cincinnati Aruna Run?
Our flagship run is the Cincinnati Aruna Run, which gathers 1500+ people from the tri-state area each Labor Day to run/walk in 10K, 5K, and 1-Mile races, all to help raise awareness and funds to bring freedom to trafficked women. In the past nine years, the run has raised $801,000 for the cause. The money raised catalyzes the freedom process by helping fund our Training Centers situated in the heart of brothel systems in India. The Training Centers help equip trafficked women with the skills they need for independence and employment.
What I love most about the Cincinnati Aruna Run is that participants are so intimately connected to the cause. Participants receive a bag hand-made by Aruna Artisans, freed in part thanks to funds raised in previous Aruna Runs. They also run or walk for a trafficked woman by name, writing her name on their race bibs. The best part is that 100% of registration fees and additional donations go to the cause as race expenses are covered by local sponsors.
What does BEAUTY mean to you?
To me, beauty goes way beyond appearances. It’s about the soul—it’s about seeing the full worth and humanity in every person. Society often skews our view of beauty, but real beauty is found in someone’s story, their spirit, and who they are on the inside.
Who or what inspires you?
The women we serve continue to be my greatest inspiration. Their resilience in the face of deep trauma is nothing short of extraordinary. Watching them reclaim their lives, find community, and thrive in freedom is what drives me every day. Every product they make, every moment they choose freedom—it all fuels my passion for this work.
What would you like our Beauty Boost members to know?
There are several ways you can be part of the freedom movement:
Be Inspired – Watch our Aruna Existence Video for a more in-depth look at our freedom model and the Cincinnati Aruna Run experience video to see what race day is all about.
Run - Participate in the Cincinnati Aruna Run on Labor Day, 9/1, in-person or virtually. 100% of registration fees and donations go to the cause. See all the details and register at https://bit.ly/2025CincinnatiArunaRun.
Shop - Purchase products handmade by women freed and employed in our freedom business. See the collection here: https://arunaproject.com/collections/all.
Share - Follow and share @ArunaProject on Facebook and Instagram to inspire others to join the fight to end human trafficking.
How can our community connect with you/find you?
Follow along and join the journey:
Instagram: @arunaproject
Facebook: Aruna Project
Website: arunaproject.com
Cincinnati Aruna Run registration: https://bit.ly/2025CincinnatiArunaRun
Email: aberg@arunaproject.com or sprudhomme@arunaproject.com (Cincinnati Aruna Run)
Special Offers for TBB Community?
Get $5 off Cincinnati Aruna Run registration fee with promo code BEAUTYBOOST5. Good on any sub-event, in-person or virtual. Register at https://bit.ly/2025CincinnatiArunaRun.
