In Tanzania, MMM run the Faraja Centre in Singida. It deals with many aspects of health care but among its many programmes is one for counter human trafficking.

They have been innovative in how they deal with individual cases, and most importantly, how they prevent children and young people from being exploited by outreach to the schools and by radio programmes.

While they work, they learn, and they shared some of their key learnings with Healing Touch.

The first learning is: “We often think we are acting as individuals. The Team has learned, through our experiences with patients, caregivers and with each other in the Team, that what we think is a small contribution can have much greater implications than we expected.”

A second learning was that going to the root of the problem is often a sure and easier way to get rid of the problem. They do not wait for the trafficking cases to be reported but have learned to eliminate risk factors that lead up to it. This involves providing economic means to the at-risk groups so that they may engage in income-generating activities rather than be susceptible to human trafficking. Raising awareness of and solving violence against children-related cases is also another way to reduce trafficking activities in the area

The third learning was that although human trafficking does not discriminate against individuals, they have learned that children and youth are the most at-risk group for human trafficking activities. They have resolved to improve and increase children and youth-related activities in the future to create more awareness as needed. The teachers are trained in awareness of the problem and the students who are involved in school clubs, are encouraged to share if they have any clues about it going on in their village. Students often teach their parents and the elderly people in the community and are a great support to one another.

We in Healing Touch are proud of our MMM Sisters and staff who work so courageously and still have time to reflect and learn from their experiences.