Last month our teams intercepted a record-breaking 1,880 people to prevent them from being trafficked and assisted with the arrests of 18 suspects! These are some of the stories—only made possible because people like you decided to be a part of funding freedom. Thank you!
Uganda: Minor Girl Lured by Serial Trafficker, Intercepted Before Exploitation; Suspect Arrested!
Our monitors intercepted a 17-year-old girl traveling to the city for work. A recruiter had convinced her to accept a job working as a waitress in a restaurant with a promised salary of USh 240,000 ($65 USD), which is higher than the usual pay of USh 150,000 ($40 USD).
Upon further investigation, our monitors discovered that the girl’s recruiter was actually a serial trafficker, known for luring people into fake jobs and then sexually exploiting them. Our staff immediately intercepted the young girl and then contacted her guardian who was unaware of the promised job. The suspect was arrested and charged with the offense of human trafficking. Meanwhile, staff educated the young girl about the dangers of human trafficking and helped her return home safely.
Burkina Faso: Team Uncovers Red Flags and Intercepts Teenager Traveling for Promised Work
A 19-year-old boy named Minata* fell for a tempting job offer working for an auto mechanic in Côte d’Ivoire. Saidou*, an alleged trafficker posing as a job recruiter in Burkina Faso and abroad, paid all of Minata's travel expenses and arranged his journey—a common indicator of human trafficking. Fortunately, our team intervened before Minata reached his final destination. Noticing multiple red flags, they questioned him and realized he was at high risk of being trafficked. Thanks to their timely intervention, Minata was protected from a potentially dangerous situation.
Rwanda: Two Girls Lured by Neighbor with Work and Abandoned at Station, Intercepted!
Eugenie* (14) and Violette* (13) stood alone at a bus station seeming confused. Our staff noticed them and asked if they needed any help. The girls said they were waiting for a woman who had brought them to Kigali for work, promising them a payment of Rwf 8,000 ($6 USD). They mentioned that the woman was a neighbor, so they had trusted her and accepted the offer.
When they arrived in Kigali, the woman had left them at the bus station, saying she was going to the bank and would return soon. Eugenie and Violette said they had been waiting for a long time, but the woman had not returned. Our staff contacted their parents and found out that they were struggling in poverty, barely making ends meet, so they connected the family to the National Child Development Agency (NCDA) for more help. After providing the girls and their families with thorough education about human trafficking and labor exploitation, they arranged Eugenie and Violette’s transportation home.
Liberia: Young Man Traveling with Recruiter for Work, Intercepted Before Exploitation!
A 29-year-old unemployed man met a suspected trafficker at a nightclub who offered him a job as a plumber, promising a monthly salary of $320 USD. The stranger made travel arrangements and paid for the man’s transportation, but when they arrived together at the transit station, the stranger left him, promising to return soon to take him to his new place of employment.
When the young man was stopped by our team for an interview, he shared about his promised work and mentioned that he lacked sufficient resources to provide for himself or return home if needed. Furthermore, he was traveling without any luggage although he claimed to be going away for a long time, and his family was unaware of his plans. Our staff tried to contact the suspected trafficker, but they were unable to reach him, and he never returned any of their phone calls. Based on multiple red flags, our staff intercepted the young man and educated him about human trafficking. They contacted his grandparents to inform them of his situation; then they fed him a meal and arranged his transportation home.
South Asia: Minor Girl Intercepted After Hearing Recruiter’s Suspicious Phone Call
Our team noticed Mafuja*, a 15-year-old girl, sitting alone at a bus station, busy on her phone. She appeared scared and hesitant and seemed to be waiting for someone. When approached by our staff, Mafuja revealed she had traveled from her village with a boy named Rashed* who had promised her a job in the city. Given their financial circumstances, Mafuja’s mother had reluctantly allowed her to go, believing she was giving her the chance of a better life.
While she was talking to our team, Rashed suddenly appeared and began speaking on her behalf. He claimed that Mafuja was his wife and that he was taking her to a beauty parlor for a job. Rashed stated that he worked as a driver for the owner of the parlor, a wealthy man who was looking to hire female employees. However, when asked for specific details about the job, including the phone number and address of the parlor, Rashed was unable to provide any information and fled the scene, increasing our staff’s suspicions.
Mafuja told our team that while she was traveling with Rashed, she overheard a suspicious phone call he made. Rashed told someone, "I can't take her in the daytime because everyone will see her." The person on the other end replied, "Bring the girl into the house at night so no one will notice." This alarming conversation left Mafuja very afraid.
Upon further investigation, our team was unable to find any documents proving the legitimacy of the job, and they were unable to locate an address or phone number for the parlor. Additionally, they learned that the normal salary for that type of work was 8,000 Tk ($68 USD), but Rashed had promised Mafuja she would receive 25,000 Tk ($212 USD). Based on numerous red flags, our monitors confirmed that the job was not real and Rashed was a trafficker. They intercepted Mafuja, educated her about human trafficking, and helped her return home.
Sierra Leone: Team Intercepts Minor Brothers Traveling to Mali for Mining Job Offered by Stranger
Brothers Abdula* (13) and Amid* (14) were on their way to Mali with a stranger they had recently met when our staff intercepted them. During questioning, they told our monitors they met the man while they were selling coal near a highway. He had offered to take them to Mali to work at his gold mining company and promised them a monthly salary of 5,000 CFA ($8 USD). The boys further mentioned that their parents were unaware of their travel plans. Due to their young age and extreme vulnerability, the brothers were immediately intercepted and returned home with the help of social welfare.
We need you!
These stories of freedom highlight the critical impact of our transit monitoring efforts in preventing human trafficking. Each interception disrupts the industry of trafficking and helps ensure safety for another beautiful life worth fighting for. Your support is essential in continuing this vital work! Join us in the fight against human trafficking—every donation helps us protect more individuals from exploitation. Please give generously to make a difference today.
*All data and statistics current at the date and time of publishing. Names changed and some specific locations excluded for privacy and security purposes. Images are representative and do not feature actual victims.
Submit a Comment