NGO rehabilitates 22 victims of trafficking in Edo, empowers others
By Elvis Omoregie
The Media Coalition and Awareness to Halt Human Trafficking (MeCAHT) says it has rehabilitated 22 victims of human trafficking in its fight against the menace in Edo over the last four years.
Dr. Sharp Okoro, Edo Coordinator, MeCAHT disclosed this on Thursday in Benin during an event to mark the end of the anti-trafficking project of the Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO).
Okoro noted that the organisation had achieved a lot in the state with more than 10,000 people trained on how to carry out small business, with more than 500 micro-businesses created.
“We have been working on programmes to prevent human trafficking in Edo state for the past four years; each programme takes two years.
“We did the first two years and this is the second two years folding up today. So this gathering is to mark the end of this project.
“The beneficiaries drawn from across the 18 local government areas of the state got scholarships, soft loans to do businesses, and of course we give them training for the capacity to stand on their own.
“We did it to reduce their level of vulnerability to human trafficking. We have fared well. For instance, some of the people we trained are in business right now, training others and these people they are training, are also been capacitated with some financial input.
“That has reduced the urge to follow the traffickers. By that, we have done a lot. Students who were frustrated, we are able to give them scholarships to go back to school,” he said.
On sustainability of the gain, the state coordinator asserted that the donor partner, Denmark Embassy was aware of the need, hence it was open to extending the funding.
Recounting the achievements of the project, James Ikape, Programme Manager of the media coalition said 50 students were offered scholarship to continue their education as a way of making them less vulnerable to trafficking.
The project, Ikape said had reached more than 21,000 people with information on the menace, the awareness, he added recorded a huge impact on vulnerable people in the state.
He, however, identified COVID-19, poor road network and insecurity as major challenges in the execution of the project over the years.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Alhaji Oshiobugie Bonvist said the intervention had helped to reduce cases of irregular migration among the people of Auchi in Etsako West local government area of the state.
Other beneficiaries, who spoke at the event, commended the intervention of the organisation, calling for more supports and its sustainability.
In his remark, goodwill message, Mr Evans Ehiremen of Edo Network against Child Trafficking, Abuse and Labour stressed the importance of prevention rather than reacting to the social Lies
