ACT Africa talks human trafficking at Klipspruit West School
Learners empowered with tools to spot and report trafficking as concerns grow in the community.
Awareness of Child Trafficking Africa (ACT Africa), in collaboration with the provincial Department of Social Development, visited Klipspruit West Secondary School to raise awareness about human trafficking on May 14.
The initiative was sparked by concerns from a parent about the rising cases of substance abuse, rape, and gangsterism in the community, which often accompany human trafficking.
During the session, learners were empowered with vital information to identify, prevent, and report human trafficking in their communities.
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They learned that human trafficking can manifest in subtle ways, often involving secrecy, grooming, deception, lies, and manipulation, rather than just kidnapping.
Hilary Leong, CEO of ACT Africa, emphasised the importance of awareness and action.
“Human trafficking is shaded in secrecy, it is not obvious to the eye like other atrocities.
“To make children aware and to get them to start taking action against it, this was the beginning to come and speak to them and create awareness on human trafficking.
“The resources that are available for learners to get more information about human trafficking, especially child trafficking, are to go to our online website or contact one of the teachers or social workers that is connected to the school,” said Matthew Mensah, co-founder of ACT Africa.
He also highlighted that South Africa spends a significant amount of resources on combating child trafficking and human trafficking.
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Sizwe Nkambule, school social worker, emphasised the importance of clear collaboration in raising awareness about child trafficking, stating that it provides clear guidelines for working with the children they serve or those within the community.
