To begin implementation of its initiative against this epidemic of Trafficking in Persons (TIP), Nascent Solutions’ Project SHIELD management and staff have been consulting with community leaders and social workers in the Ngoketunjia, Bui and Donga Mantung Divisions to establish a rapport with members of the community, meet with affected families and shore up community sensitization efforts. The objective of the consultation meetings is also to formulate a community specific working plan to aggressively tackle this tragic phenomenon.

During the course of the meetings, parents and relatives recount personal stories of their experiences with TIP. Mr Julius Tafoloh related the story of his daughter Lizzette, who had been offered work in the distant city Douala with the promise of an education, and after three years at age 8 had not attended a day of classes. Mr Lasha a community elder and host of the meeting stated that, due to severe poverty, many parents were willing to surrender their children to strangers or distant relatives, on the promise of a meal a day and shelter for the child. Thus trafficked children often end up as indentured laborers working as far away as Nigeria and on road construction projects run in big cities by foreign corporations or victims of sexual abuse and prostitution.

Community members voiced the conviction that given material and financial assistance in income generating activities such as farming and small-scale animal husbandry, their economic life would be greatly improved and incidences of trafficking would consequently be stemmed. However alerting the public to the risks trafficked children face was agreed to by all as a critical and crucial step to deterring trafficking.

To broaden the audience base Nascent’s field staff uses the local community radio to organize conferences with representatives of the community, develop partnerships partnering with the aim of broadcasting educational programs, to inform the populace of the dangers presented by trafficking. Consultations with service providers are ongoing and include the Police and Justice departments, traditional institutions, the judicial system and members of the community and government social workers, to create a united front towards effectively combating the Trafficking in Persons. Members of the target community have been encouraged and heartened by the meeting and eager to gain ground against the epidemic of child trafficking in their community.