from anti-human trafficking awareness to anti-human trafficking academy
DESCRIPTION
An interview with Joseph Osuigwe on how The Academy for Prevention of Human Trafficking and other Related Matters (TAPHOM) started.TRANSCRIPT
7/21/2019 From Anti-Human Trafficking Awareness to Anti-Human Trafficking Academy
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From Anti-Human trafcking Awareness to Anti-Human
Trafcking Academy
A story of how Joseph Osuigwe Chidiebere started The Academy for Prevention of Human
Tracking and Other Reated !atters "a subsidiary of #evatop Center $or Africa
#eveopment% by #i&erence !akers 'ews(
Tell us about yoursel and childhood experience?
My name is Joseph suigwe !hidiebere" the Executive Director of Devatop
Centre for Africa Development, and the coordinator of The Academy for Prevention
of Human Trackin and !ther "elated Matters #TAPH!M$% & 'as (orn on )*th +une,
-./ to the family of Mr% and Mrs% 0uard !sui'e Maduka, from Ehime M(ano,
&mo 1tate, 2ieria% & am the 3rst (orn of t'o (oys% My childhood has its ood and
(ad side% 4ell, it is important to say that & spent only t'o years 'ith my mummy,
and at most . years 'ith my father% The rest of my childhood 'as 'ith / di5erent
families from distinct locations% & 'ould say my childhood experience 'as very
touh% At the ae of . plus, & started farmin, diin stones, atherin ravels,
and other hard 'orks that 'ere (eyond my ae% There 'ere times & 'as locked outto sleep outside for not doin or completin farm 'ork, and other domestic 'orks%
This a5ected my education% &n fe' occasions 'hen & chaned a location, & 'ill (e
forced to step do'n in class% 6ut, the ood side of it is that it 'as a learnin
process% The experience tauht me hard 'ork, perseverance, temperance, and
endurance%
#o how did you become a graduate?
& am a raduate of Education Mathematics from 7niversity of 2ieria% &t 'as hard for
me to reister for +AM68entrance exam to university (ecause of unavaila(le and
delayed support% Ho'ever, after four years, & eventually ained admission touniversity in )99:% 4hile in )99 level #second year$ & started students;
empo'erment, lecturin 99level students on mathematics, 'ritin and distri(utin
inspirational ne'sletters to students, and orani<in yearly academic seminars for
ne'ly admitted students% & started my activism 'hile in school, advocatin for
students; riht, com(atin examination misconduct and extortion of money from
students, and also attracted enmity from corrupt lecturers% & 'as my departmental
course leader for = years, (ut & resisted the temptation of (een used (y lecturers to
extort money from students% The summary of it is that there 'as a tareted attempt
(y some of these lecturers to keep me in school for extra ) years% !n several
occasions my results 'ere 'ithheld, scores denied, scripts missin, and all that% Thisa5ected my result neatively% 6ut 'ith persistence and hard 'ork, & raduated at
due time%
How did you start anti-human trafcking ad$ocacy?
Ehmmm>that 'as durin my 2ational ?outh 1ervice 1cheme #2?1C$ in )9@, then &
'as a mem(er of Millennium Development oals Community Development roup%
Ho'ever, the passion to com(at human trackin and other related matters
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(ecame o(vious durin my 2?1C primary assinment at 4omen "eha(ilitation
Center 'hich 'as operated (y 1ociety Aainst Prostitution and Child 0a(our in
2ieria% The centre is a place 'here victims of sexual exploitation and repented
commercial sex 'orkers are reha(ilitated% & 'as one of their teachers and mentors%
& orani<ed empo'erment prorammes for the survivors8victims, mentored fe' of
them to enroll for hiher education, provided academic materials for some, and
orani<ed competitions for all% & also had oneBonBone chat 'ith some of the victims
of sexual exploitation it 'as on that process that my passion 'as inited, and alsoreali<in that 2ieria is amon the countries 'ith hihest num(ers of victims of
human trackin, my aner aainst modern slavery and enderB(ased violence
'as kindled% & told myself, & 'ill dedicate my time, creativity, enery and resources
to com(at this evil% 1o & launched into action%
First, & consulted so many people, did a (ackround study of the pro(lem, athered
fe' statistics, and explored partnerships% & can remem(er vividly that some people
told me, this is not a lucrative venture or proGect that could attract sponsorships%
Ho'ever, & 'as 'illin to use my allo'ance and savins for this proGect% & made it
my 2ational ?outh 1ervice Community ProGect 'rote letters to schools in vulnera(le
communities and ot approval% 1o, & started the antiBhuman trackin a'areness in
3ve communities% & partnered 'ith 2ational Aency for Prohi(ition of Trackin in
Persons #2APT&P$ to educate more than )999 teenaers, youth, and teachers on
ho' to com(at human trackin% My friends and colleaues volunteered for the
a'areness% Durin the a'areness, there 'ere a(out three female victims of sexual
exploitation 'e counseled% 0ater in 2ovem(er )9@, in commemoration of
&nternational Day for the Elimination of iolence Aainst 4omen, & and my team
orani<ed interBschool Iui< competition on sex trackin 'ith material support from
7nited 2ations !ce for Drus and Crimes #72!DC$% AntiBhuman trackin
a'areness materials from 72!DC 'ere donated to the participants%
& usually spend *9J of my allo'ance on the proGect sometimes & skipped my meals
and preferred trekkin instead of (oardin taxi so as to save money for printin and
su(mission of letters% A lot of people, orani<ations and companies found it strane
to support the antiBhuman trackin proGect, and considerin the fact that & 'as
Gust startin it% 6ut, the result and testimonies & received after the 3rst edition of the
a'areness increased my motivation to continue 'ith the proGect% &t 'as durin that
same year that Devatop Centre for Africa Development started 'ith focus on
preventin human trackin, and educational empo'erment% 4e continued 'ith
the antiBhuman trackin a'areness in primary schools and did a )9 minutes T
proramme 'ith 2ierian Television Authority%
&n )9=, 'e orani<ed the second edition of the a'areness for -99 students on
ho' to prevent human trackin, rape and enderB(ased violence%
!n )th +une, )9/, to commemorate the 4orld Day Aainst Child 0a(our, 'e
orani<ed an a'areness for *9 market 'omen and men at Dutse, A(uGa%
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How did you start the Anti-Human Trafcking Academy and what are your
ob%ecti$es?
More than ): million people are victims of human trackin lo(ally% This 3ure
exceeds the population of most countries% /9 million uneducated, illiterate,
unemployed, less privileed, and displaced 2ierians are vulnera(le to human
trackin% 4e reali<ed that there are much 'orks to do to end human trackin
and Gust fe' people are doin them% 4e also felt that a'areness is not enouh tocom(at human trackin% 4e sa' the need to train advocates and trainers 'ho 'ill
take strateic actions aainst human trackin and other related matters% This
need propelled us to esta(lish The Academy For Prevention of Human Trackin
and !ther "elated Matter #TAPH!M$ in +uly, )9/% The academy is aimed at trainin
antiBhuman trackin advocates and trainers 'ho 'ill orani<e a'areness,
campain, seminars, trainins, sho's, and monitor and report human trackin
incident% The academy focuses on trainin, advocacy, research, counselin, referral
and pu(lications%
!n 9th and th +uly, 'e trained ): youth and educators as advocates and trainers%
1ome of the advocates are takin strateic actions, orani<in antiBhumantrackin seminars in their various locations%
!n st Auust )9/, 'e orani<ed a campainK Freedom 4alk and 1ho' aainst
human trackin and rape in commemoration of 4orld Day Aainst Trackin in
Persons%
0ast 'eek, on )/th and )*th 2ovem(er, )9/, the Academy for Prevention of Human
Trackin and !ther "elated Matters trained */ la' enforcement, leal
practitioners, medical professionals, youth, educators, reliious mem(ers,
Gournalists, community volunteers, media professionals and survivors on antiBhuman
trackin advocacy course%
#o ar" what has been the outcome o the anti-human trafcking training?
4ell, it is Gust less than / months 'e started the antiBhuman trackin academy% @
youth amon those 'ho participated in +uly trainin have orani<ed seminars in
A(uGa 'ere they sensiti<ed students on ho' to com(at human trackin% Fe'
others have reported incidents of child a(use to us, and 'e have seen the social
media campains of other participants%
The participants of 2ovem(er trainin 'ere empo'ered to orani<e step do'n
trainin, a'areness and media campains% 4e expect that at least =9J percent of
them 'ill orani<e actions 'ithin the next one year% 6ut 'e are certain that the
trainin improved the kno'lede of la' enforcement and leal practitioners, and
they 'ill (ecome more proactive in handlin cases on human trackin, rape and
other forms of a(uses% The educators are expected to educate their pupils8students,
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identify and report situations 'here students are experiencin potential a(use
includin human trackin%
!onsidering the act that ending modern sla$ery should be a collaborati$e
e&ort" who else are you collaborating with to combat human trafcking?
& (elieve in the po'er of colla(oration% & like to call it Colla(o% Apart from passion
and hard 'ork, our achievement is also a reLection of colla(oration and partnership
'ith some reputa(le and committed orani<ations and individuals% 4e have
enaed more than / orani<ations and 3rms in the 3ht aainst human
trackin% 1ome of our partners are 2ational Aency for Prohi(ition of Trackin in
Persons, African Centre for Media and &nformation 0iteracy, 2ational Human "ihts
Commission, Mova &ndustrial Desin, Fiht Aainst Child Trackin, Dorothy
2Geman<e Foundation, 1tudio )=, Media &nsiht% 4e hope to colla(orate 'ith more
national and international orani<ations%
'here will the anti-human trafcking academy be within the next ()
years?
The academy has the potential to (e a lo(ally reconi<ed academy that trains
advocates and trainers to com(at human trackin in di5erent African and Asian
countries% Ho'ever, 'ithin the next 9 years, 'e must have replicated the
academy in @ reions of 2ieria, and in @ Africa countries% 1ome of our oals
includeK to train )99 antiBhuman trackin advocates yearly 'ho 'ill reach out to
over /9, 999 people to sensiti<e at least ., 999 people yearly throuh our
a'areness to esta(lish a hotline8helpline aainst trackin in persons to (uild our
headIuarter 'ith /9 capacity lecture hall, research8&CT centre, li(rary, etc employ
more people ive small rants yearly to some of our trainees to carry out antiBhuman trackin proGects orani<e skill acIuisitions for survivors and vulnera(le
'omen and youth and so many others 'hich & may not mention (ecause of time
and space% Most of these 'ill take place 'ithin ) to / years%
!eanwhie) by *+,-) we wi reease our . anti/human tracking bookets) and
some awareness materias "documentaries) storybooks) and songs%( 0 must say that
we wi be persistent) consistent) insistent and creative in combating human
tracking and other reated matters(
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