BENIN CITY – In continuation of its aggressive drive to eradicating Human Trafficking and Forced Migration in Edo State especially through the ‘catching them young’ initiative, the Non Governmental and Profit Organisation, CLEEN Foundation, weekend, sensitized the people against the danger inherent in human trafficking and forced migration.
The sensitisation programme tagged “Documentary Screening On Forced Migration and Human Trafficking In Nigeria” supported by the UNWomen was held at the Kada Cinema as participants between age 14-19 drawn from various secondary schools in the state attended the advocacy programme.
Participants through the documentary records of some victims of human trafficking and forced migration were exposed to the various means through which traffickers lured their victims.
The victims through the documentary show recounted their sad tales on how they were deceived and exploited by the traffickers, who took advantages of their ignorance and vulnerability to exploit them sexually often times.
The people were advised to always watch out for traffickers who comes with different tricks to lure them into trafficking mainly for sexual exploitation and forced labour.
Speaking with newsmen shortly after the event, Annie Umoru, said that the event was aimed at showing the young people the documentary of victims of human trafficking and what they went through.
“The programme is about catching them young and to make the young people see the effects of human trafficking and what traffickers are not telling their victims”, she said.
She identified greedy, ignorance and poverty amongst others as factors responsible for human trafficking and forced migration in the country, just as she thanked UNWomen and CLEEN Foundation for the initiative
On her part, the Program and Admin Officer, CLEEN Foundation, Mrs. Blessing Eromon, said the foundation has earlier engaged stakeholders across various communities, visited several schools in the in Edo State with a view to eradicating human trafficking and forced migration from the state.
She said: “We did this cinema documentary on August 13, 2021and it was for the general public then. But we decided to bring the show again this time to the teenagers and children who are the real victims of human trafficking for them to see and understand the dangers in trafficking.
“We have school documentary, community focus group discussion and in this group discussion, we speak to the communities stakeholders’ and we understand that nothing happen in the communities without the leaders knowing it.
“We have even taken the awareness campaign to various local government areas in the state.
Cross section of the participants who spoke to newsmen commended the foundation for the enlightenment brought to them through the documentary show.
For Emmanuella, “I want to thank CLEEN Foundation for enlightened us on the dangers associated with human trafficking and why we should always say no to it.
Purity Edegbe, Isubor Edwin Osazuwa, in their separate remarks said that the programme has further broaden their understand about human trafficking and forced migration as well as the need for them not to involve in it.
Purity, however, sued for constant advocacy on the human trafficking as well as establish I Skills Acquisition Centres and poverty alleviation programme that would engaged the people meaningfully.
