For the past three months in a row, our teams around the world have intercepted over 2,000 people each month to keep them safe from human trafficking! Here are a few recent stories of freedom.
Kenya: Two Minor Girls Intercepted Before Falling Victim to Potential Sex Trafficking Scheme
The team successfully intercepted two 15-year-old girls who were recruited by a suspected trafficker named John* for jobs as massage parlor attendants. They were offered an unrealistically high monthly salary of Ksh. 60,000 ($465 USD), a clear red flag for human trafficking.
Due to their poor financial background, the girls could not afford transportation, so John generously paid their fare. They were traveling without any luggage, though they claimed to be going away for a long time, and mentioned that the job required specific clothing that would be given to them upon arrival.
Recognizing these red flags, the team intervened to prevent the girls from being exploited. They provided crucial education about human trafficking, highlighting the dangers of accepting suspicious job offers, especially when they lacked experience or qualifications. The team’s timely action protected them from probable sex trafficking.
Malawi: 17-Year-Old Girl Accepts Christ After Running Away from Home
Emmie*, a 17-year-old girl from Malawi, was brought to the Love Justice shelter by the Department of Social Welfare. She initially claimed her family had died in a car accident while traveling from South Africa, leaving her alone. A truck driver helped her reach Malawi, but after escaping his inappropriate advances, she was found wandering in Blantyre and brought to the shelter.
However, our team later discovered that Emmie's story was false when a social media post from her mother revealed she was actually a runaway. Confronted, Emmie admitted she had lied, explaining that she had fled boarding school after being caught stealing money and was too afraid to return home.
While staying at the shelter, Emmie spent time reading the Bible, and Tiya, the project manager, shared the gospel with her, explaining God's love and redemption. Emmie opened up about the abuse she had suffered from a family member and the resulting anger she harbored. After a heartfelt conversation, Emmie invited Christ into her life, learning the power of forgiveness and healing.
Uganda: Two Burundian Minors Intercepted at Bus Station; Suspect Arrested!
The team recently intercepted two Burundian minors, ages 15 and 17, at a bus station, preventing a potential trafficking incident. The minors were traveling with a recruiter who had been paid to transport them to Nairobi, Kenya, under the guise of job offers as hawkers with a promised salary of Ush 200,000 ($54 USD). This low pay raised suspicions of labor exploitation.
During questioning, the recruiter distanced himself from the minors, a tactic often used by traffickers to avoid suspicion. When the minors confirmed they were traveling with him, our monitors approached the recruiter for questioning. He claimed that the two Burundians were traveling to Mombasa for a visit, contradicting their statements about traveling for work.
Further investigation revealed troubling details from the host, who requested photos of the minors and directed the recruiter to take a detour through Tanzania—additional red flags for human trafficking.
The team acted quickly, educating the minors about trafficking dangers and ensuring their safe return home. The recruiter was arrested and charged with human trafficking.
South Asia: Team Assists Minor Girl Abused by Father’s Employer; Suspect in Custody!
The team received a tip-off about Jasmina*, a 15-year-old girl traveling with Sagar*, a 65-year-old man. Acting quickly, the monitors headed to the border checkpoint and began questioning Jasmina.
Initially, she claimed Sagar was her uncle, but later revealed that he was actually her father’s employer. Jasmina shared that Sagar had taken her from her home a few days prior. When they arrived in town, he booked a hotel room for them and then sexually abused her.
When asked if her parents knew she was traveling with Sagar, Jasmina remained silent. The monitors requested her parents' contact information and called her mother, overhearing a conversation in which the mother instructed Jasmina to introduce Sagar as her uncle and avoid saying anything negative about him.
The team concluded that Jasmina’s mother was aware of her situation and had permitted her to travel with Sagar. When the monitors questioned Sagar, he eventually admitted that he had sexually abused the girl. The team immediately took both Jasmina and Sagar to the police station, lodging a formal complaint and placing Jasmina in police care for further assistance. Sagar was taken into police custody, and a legal case was filed against him.
Burkina Faso: Two Men Traveling for a Suspicious Job in the Ivory Coast, Intercepted!
The team intercepted Andres* (21) and Azita* (24), who had been recruited by a man named Salam*. Salam planned to take them across the border to work at an illegal gold mining site in the Ivory Coast, where they would be at high risk of being enslaved.
Salam had enticed them with the promise of a high-paying job, offering a salary of 150,000 CFA ($250 USD)—significantly above the standard rate. Despite objections from their parents, Andres and Azita accepted the offer and began their journey.
Our team intervened, educating them about the risks of human trafficking and the dangers they could face at the gold panning site. With no resources to support themselves or return home if the situation turned dangerous, Andres and Azita reconsidered their options. After speaking with the monitors, they decided to prioritize their safety and return home instead of continuing the journey.
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Let’s continue breaking records and changing lives!
*All data and statistics current at the date and time of publishing. Names and some specific locations excluded for privacy and security purposes. Images are representative.
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