Pastor Wilber facilitated a HOPE61 human trafficking prevention training in eastern Uganda. A major cause of vulnerability in many areas is a lack of education, which prevents people from learning to read and write and makes it difficult to secure good jobs to support their families. Participants in the training shared that this is a major issue in their community and that many people there have been offered and accepted jobs in the Middle East.
This activity is one of the most prominent tricks that traffickers use to victimize people. They offer them a good job somewhere else, only to force them to work for no pay in jobs and activities that were never part of the original agreement. These victims have little to no contact with their families, and it’s difficult at best, if not impossible, to escape this trap.
After learning about this particular way traffickers operate, the church recognized an opportunity and a responsibility to act. Pastor Wilber followed up with them at length after the training, and they decided to use the gifts and talents God had given them to start a new school in their community. The kids are now being educated and prepared for good jobs, learning about the tricks and traps of traffickers, and, most importantly, hearing the Gospel message of Jesus Christ and becoming part of the church community. As a result, this entire community, both adults and children, is much less vulnerable to becoming involved in human trafficking. In addition, the students are preparing for the rest of their lives with good schooling and awareness to keep them safe, and they are now forever saved by the work of Jesus Christ.
