Three hundred and twenty-five secondary school students from several Region Nine communities benefited from an awareness session on people trafficking conducted by the Ministry of Home Affairs Ministerial Task Force on Trafficking in Persons.
The sessions were held in keeping with the ministry’s 2014-2015 Action Plan. Sessions were held at Karasabai, Aishalton, Sand Creek, Annai, Lethem, Long Creek and St Ignatius and were open to residents, the ministry said in a press release.
The 325 students were from forms three to five and comprised 70 students from Sand Creek Secondary, 165 from Annai Secondary and 90 from Aishalton secondary. Presentations were made on trafficking in persons, focusing on the causes, techniques used by traffickers and how to detect trafficking, and the consequences to the victims.
During the interactive sessions with participants, several of them voiced concerns which the team documented for follow-up. Brochures and posters were distributed to the students and a quantity was given to the Head Teacher of St Ignatius Secondary for distribution to students.
At Karasabai, the team interacted with community health workers and toshaos from Tiger Pond, Tipuru, Rukumutu, Yurongparu, Karasabai, Pai Pang and Taushida. The team also capitalised on the gathering of people for Heritage Day celebrations in Tiger Pond and was able to sensitize 50 persons about trafficking in persons.
The Task Force stands committed to implementing its Comprehensive Action Plan to combat trafficking in persons in Guyana and urges stakeholders to join in the fight against this scourge.
