The following stories are real, recent testaments to the power of working together to stop human trafficking. Your giving combined with our transit monitoring strategy and dedicated frontline staff equals many lives kept free! Thank you.
Last month, teams intercepted 2,227 people to prevent them from being trafficked and helped arrest 33 suspected traffickers. These are some of their stories.
Uganda: Six Teens Intercepted from Potential Human Trafficking Before Crossing Border
At a bustling transit station in Uganda, Love Justice monitors intercepted six teenagers—ages 15 to 17—who were about to be taken across the border to Kenya under false promises of domestic work. The group, accompanied by an older man, displayed nervous behavior and hesitated when asked basic questions, prompting the team to intervene.
Upon questioning, the teens revealed that they had been recruited for a job caring for an employer’s extended family—an appealing offer as they were told they could stay together working in one household. However, key red flags emerged: they had no details about their employer, no verifiable job contract, and their promised salary of UGX 450,000 ($120 USD) was more than double the standard pay for similar work—a tactic traffickers often use to lure victims.
Further investigation uncovered that four traffickers were involved in orchestrating their journey. Shockingly, none of the teenagers had informed their families of their travel plans or received parental consent to leave the country.
Realizing the high risk of human trafficking, monitors counseled the teenagers on the dangers of such deceptive job offers. Understanding the risks, they agreed to return home. Their guardians were contacted, safe transportation was arranged, and before they departed, the monitors shared the gospel with them, offering support and encouragement.
This successful intervention prevented six minors from being trafficked, highlighting the importance of vigilance in stopping exploitation before it begins.
India: Team Intercepts 14-Year-Old Runaway Girl Eloping with Older Man
Initially, the young man, Arif*, claimed they were cousins returning from Mumbai after a medical check-up, but their nervous behavior and inconsistent answers raised suspicion. When questioned separately, the girl, Meena*, hesitated before revealing that she had left home after an argument with her family.
Meena had met Arif just 12 days earlier in Mumbai. After a brief courtship, he convinced her to run away with him and elope. She had no clear plans, no money, and no way of contacting her family. She was also traveling without luggage or identification. Initially, she resisted sharing any family phone numbers, but after further conversation, Arif finally provided her brother’s contact information.
When our team contacted Meena’s brother, he connected us with their mother, who was shocked to learn where Meena was. Unable to travel to the station immediately, she asked that her daughter be kept safe until she could arrange to bring her home. Given the situation, the monitors took Meena to the police, where her case was officially documented.
Recognizing the serious risk she faced, our staff ensured that she was placed in the care of another organization where she could be safely housed at a shelter until her mother could retrieve her. A few weeks later, our team received an update confirming that Meena had been reunited with her family.
Zambia: Interception at Border Protects Young Man from Potential Exploitation
Dalitso shared that he was traveling from his rural village in Malawi to Chipata, Zambia—his first time leaving the country—to meet someone he had never seen in person. When the team called the contact number he provided, the man on the other end initially denied knowing Dalitso but quickly changed his response after Dalitso identified himself.
As the conversation unfolded, the real purpose of Dalitso’s journey emerged. He had heard a radio program about an herbalist who claimed to offer charms for business success. As a small-time cell phone vendor, Dalitso believed these charms would help attract customers, so he followed the herbalist’s instructions to travel to Chipata.
The monitors quickly identified the serious risks. Dalitso was venturing into an unfamiliar area known for trafficking and exploitation, with no proper identification, insufficient funds, and no plan for his stay. He had already been deceived by money changers at the border, leaving him financially stranded.
The team counseled Dalitso on the dangers of human trafficking and exploitation, warning him of the potential consequences of trusting strangers. They also shared the gospel with him, emphasizing that true success comes from God, not superstition. They encouraged him with Deuteronomy 28:12, reminding him of God’s provision.
Realizing the danger he faced, Dalitso admitted he had not fully understood the risks. In a decisive moment, he deleted the herbalist’s contact information from his phone. The monitors ensured his safe return home, preventing him from continuing on a path that could have led to harm.
Malawi: Two Teen Girls Intercepted at Border After Friend Lures Them with False Job Offer
While traveling toward the border, Love Justice monitors noticed them and initiated questioning. At first, Chikondi and Thandiwe insisted they were simply going to work, but their young ages—both below the legal working limit—immediately raised red flags. The team explained the dangers of human trafficking, how traffickers often use false job offers to lure victims, and the risks young girls face when traveling alone.
Shocked by the revelation, the girls realized how easily they could have been exploited. After a long discussion, they agreed to return home instead of continuing to Zambia. Thanks to this timely interception, Chikondi and Thandiwe not only avoided a potentially dangerous situation but also gained crucial awareness about trafficking, equipping them to make safer choices in the future.
Kenya: Tanzanian Teen Lured with Fake Job Offer, Intercepted Before Exploitation
When she arrived in Mombasa, Neema was told to wait for Mwanasha. She sat alone for over an hour, expecting her friend to arrive—but Mwanasha never showed up. Lost in an unfamiliar country with no contacts or backup plan, Neema became an easy target for traffickers.
Fortunately, Love Justice monitors spotted her vulnerability and intervened. During questioning, Neema admitted that this was her first time in Kenya, that she had no identification, and that she had no idea where exactly she was supposed to work. Recognizing the red flags of a trafficking scheme, the team immediately arranged for her protection.
Neema was provided with counseling on the dangers of human trafficking, ensuring she understood the risks she had narrowly avoided. The team then facilitated her safe return home, preventing her from falling into the hands of traffickers.
Want to give the gift of freedom to more people like these? Join our monthly giving community, Project Beautiful, to help us protect vulnerable lives every month. When you sign up, you’ll receive a prayer bracelet with someone’s name, age, and home country so you can pray for them regularly, as well as a T-shirt. Click the button below to join 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. Photos representative and do not feature actual victims, and AI used to make some images.