You know it is a good time when a coffee catch up turns into a long lunch.
Poverty and isolation are the biggest vulnerabilities that human trafficker’s prey upon. Desperation for any opportunity makes the promises of life change jobs in the city or training opportunities a dream come true. They build trust with gifts and flashy shows of wealth as well as guarantees of high income. After travelling to the city, you are alone - isolated with only the human traffickers knowing where you are and you become depended on them for everything.
We support a girl for a minimum of 3 years once a girl is reintegrated home. This includes covering educational expenses, counselling and social worker support. Our social workers help the girls build strong communities around them where they have many people they can contact for help and who are checking in on them.
We always say a minimum of 3 years because support doesn’t stop if they still need support… or in this case want it.
We currently have a lot of closed cases who are now young adults living in the city and studying at university, finishing alternative schooling or completing vocational training. They expressed that it can be hard to make friends in the city so one of our long-term volunteers has organised a monthly get together with all of them. Last month, 6 of them met together for coffee (that turned into lunch as well) and shared about their current lives and life experiences.
They were having so much fun they did not think to take any photos. We think that is a good sign!
The community these young woman are building together is vital to preventing the isolation that is preyed upon by human traffickers. We can’t wait to see what this get together becomes in the future.