Norway has founded a pilot project implemented by the Norwegian Church Aid/ACT Alliance targeting women and children affected by human trafficking. The project was implemented in the central region of Malawi though the cooperation with Chisomo Children’s Club and had the objective of contributing to a sustainable and continued fight against trafficking in Malawi and empowering target groups. This would be achieved through raising awareness, establishing anti-trafficking networks and empower target groups such as identified victims and those in the risk of being victims of trafficking, totaling to approximately 12.000 women and children.
A trafficked child in Malawi faces hardships and difficult conditions, for instance with ‘Kenneth’ (Picture above), who as a young boy were taken from his village to a urban area far away, by a man promising his family to get him into school if he also did house errands for him. But ‘Kenneth’ was never enrolled in school and he was instead forced to work full time for the man’s small business by selling cakes. After a long time of hardships walking long distances attempting to reach markets where he could sell the cakes, ‘Kenneth’ ran away and was taken in by Chisomo Children’s Club, and with their help finally became reintegrated back into his home village and into school.
Teaching Children. Photo: Chisomo Childrens's ClubThe project has faced challenges, but has also made lasting impact on the village level. A key factor for this achievement has been the establishment of anti-trafficking clubs in schools where children are thought about the issue and are given an increased awareness about human trafficking.
For more info on the work done in Malawi, you can read more at the Norwegian Church Aid, ACT Alliance or the Chisomo Children’s Club webpages.