Innocence Lost as described in our previous blog is a play on Child Trafficking by the National Childrens’s Theatre SA and with the support of ACT Africa was showcased to 23 schools in human trafficking hotspots in and around Gauteng.
The actors from NCT along with ACT Africa travelled daily for the two weeks with such determination, perseverance and heart to showcase the play in order to bring about the much needed and vital Human/Child Trafficking to in excess of four thousand youth from Grade 6 to Grade 12. This was an eye opener for the youth as well as adults (educators) present and was excellenty received at the schools. Yes, this was not your usual awareness it was done in the form of a theatrical performance which was engaging and impactful. Most of the children at these schools have never seen or been exposed to a Theatrical performance, so whilst this was to bring about awareness it was also a real cultural treat for the children.and this was evident too from their reactions. Going to the theatre for most of them is not even on their agendas due to poverty and not being able to afford to go as well just never being privy to being exposed to just the thought of attending a theatre show and now this was brought to them, to their schools ….An experience the children will not easily forget. https://youtu.be/4tFl9SpADbQ
The experience was bitter sweet . As this much needed awareness was brought, so we could see that what was being showcased – abuse, rape, human trafficking – was a normal way of life for them and accepted as such. Innocence Lost Child Trafficking Awareness play brought about the stark reality that these evils/atrocities plaguing our children, our homes, communities, country and the world at large are not normal but is indeed abnormal, must not be kept quiet and that help is there and this flipped the coin for many. Our first question a young girl asked on our first day was not about the play but ” Where can one get help” ….that is indicative of a possible abusive situation. Everyday day for the two weeks children would ask questions as well as come to ACT Africa for help. Reports from educators following this awareness is that children came to speak to their educators too to ask for help and in all cases the appropriate help was provided. Our Youth are going through sheer hell which no child in their lifetime should experience and being robbed of their childhood/ youth as a result of abuse. They developing survival mechanisms to cope which is resulting in behavioural problems because healing is not taking place. Children should not be developing survival mechanisms to cope with daily life, they should just be children and enjoying their childhood. So the tragedy of abuse coming to the fore was bitter but the sweet was that children now realised that they can and should speak out and ask for help.
The showcasing of Innocence Lost Child Trafficking Awareness play has now ended as well as the Human/Child trafficking awareness it provided due to lack of funding to continue. We have had excellent reports from the public, children, educators and media https://youtu.be/0PMXkd6oOpkhttps://twitter.com/Abramjee/status/1523373041928925184?t=qWOk63zXcuKDEmxaYQO1Ww&s=08 but whereto from here?… Unless we receive the much needed funding to continue the vital and much needed Awareness and Education to break the cycles of Human Trafficking and Gender-based Violence that question will remain unanswered sadly…
I refer to my previous blog which details statistics and the importance of continued and regular Human Trafficking and Gender-based Violence Awareness and Education in order to break these cycles – https://www.actafrica.org.za/innocence-lost/
We would like to provide Human/Child Trafficking and Gender -based Violence Awareness by taking Innocence Lost Child Trafficking Theatre performance to schools, universiies and wherever else we can throughout South Africa and beyond if possible but cannot do so without Your Help of Funding….
Should you wish to donate to help us fight and break the cycles of these vicious atrocities of Human Trafficking and Gender based Violence especially during these perilous times and far into the future, You will be assisting and enabling us to fulfill our mission to Save Lives Through Awareness and Education.
National Children’s Theatre presents is a Theatre performance Innocence Lost, a play on Child Trafficking based on true story, with the support of Different.org and KAVOD. The play will tour to schools in and around Gauteng from 3rd May to 13th May with the support of Awareness for Child Trafficking Africa (ACT Africa).
Innocence Lost will be showcased to schools in some of the areas identified as Human Trafficking hotspots in Gauteng (viz. Sandton, Mamelodi, Hillbrow, Soweto, Eldorado Park ….)and hope to take this through to the rest of South Africa if we are able to raise the needed funding.
Of the trafficked victims recorded in Africa, 64% are children. This is a very tragic and bleak crisis prevailing which will worsen if nothing tangible is done.
Should you wish to donate to help us fight and break the cycles of these vicious atrocities of Human Trafficking and Gender based Violence especially during these perilous times and far into the future, You will be assisting and enabling us to fulfill our mission to Save Lives Through Awareness and Education.
ACT Africa extends our heartfelt sympathies to all families who have lost everything, their loved ones, homes, jobs and businesses in the recent Kwazulu Natal Floods.
This natural disaster has once more plunged the province of KZN into desperation and thus vulnerabilities are raw and exposed. This has a direct ripple effect on the rest of the provinces of South Africa. Socio-Economic downturn which leads to Poverty is worsened as a result…
Natural Disasters, Times of War, Political Turmoil are all perfect storms for criminal predators who will take advantage of these very tragic situations as people are desperate to survive and fall prey as victim and or perpertrator to atrocities like Human Trafficking. Frustration and Depression levels are heightened too and sadly Gender-Based Violence & Femocide increases resultantly.
What Do We Do?
We Pray Firstly
Reach out and help as best as we can
Donate in Cash or Kind to organisations assisting with the Kwazulu Natal Flooding Disaster and or directly to individuals/families impacted by it.
Report any incidences of crime to law enforcement – SAPS: 10111
NATIONAL HUMAN TRAFFICKING RESOURCE LINE: 0800 222 777
SAPS EMERGENCY NUMBER: 10111
#floods2022
#southafrica
#kznfloods
#climatechange
#climatecrisis
#humantraffickingprevention
#genderbasedviolence
Should you wish to donate to help us during these perilous times and far into the future, You will be assisting and enabling us to fulfill our mission to Save Lives Through Awareness and Education.
#Donate today
Your donation will be used for the sustainability of our projects and the organisation.
Our banking details are:
Account holder: Awareness for Child Trafficking Africa (ACT Africa)
Refugee Children Anywhere in The World are at heightened risk of violence, exploitation and abuse.
RISKS:
Human trafficking, forced into child labour, exposed to aggravated smuggling. Displaced women and girls are especially at risk of Gender-based Violence.
HOW TO HELP:
Do not immediately assume that she is lost. Verify that the child is unaccompanied or has been separated from her family. Do not separate a child from her parents, siblings or other family members with whom she travelled.
Since the child’s caregiver may be close by, ask refugees in the immediate vicinity if they know the child. Do not leave the child. Unless there is imminent danger, remain at that location with the child until you can verify the caregiver’s whereabouts and ensure the child is in safe hands.
Do not, under any circumstance, leave the child with another volunteer. Do not accept help from another volunteer who offers to escort the child to safety.
If, following the above steps, you believe the child is unaccompanied or has been separated from his family, ask the child for his name, age, hometown and information about his family. Record any additional information that may help authorities with family tracing and reunification. If the child is unable to provide this information, ask other refugees travelling near the child what they know.
Keep the child’s clothes and belongings with her at all times. These might help authorities trace her family.
Contact a competent authority – such as the local municipality government, border police, Ukraine’s consular services in the host country, or officials from UNICEF. Share the child’s information and location, and follow the authority’s instructions. Do not leave the child.
Do not share information about the child with anyone else, aside from competent authorities.
Explain to the child what will happen next. Do not promise that you will find his parents: This could cause him additional confusion and distress if he’s received, instead, by the safe hands of a competent authority/child protection officer.
Do not leave the child until she is in the safe hands of a competent authority/child protection officer. Do not leave the child with anyone else.
Please Donate now to keep our doors open and ensure ACT Africa’s financial sustainability during this perilous time and far into the future and will be assisting us in our mission to Save Lives Through Awareness and Education. #Donate today
Your donation will be used for the sustainability of our projects and the organisation.
Our banking details are:
Account holder: Awareness for Child Trafficking Africa (ACT Africa)
Bank: First National Bank
Account Number:62827188237
Branch Code 256055
Swift Code FIRNZAJJ
Email Proof of Donation to accounts@actafrica.org.za
Also Known as Organ Harvesting and Transplant Tourism
Range of criminal activities, including illegal organ harvesting from a living or dead individual and the illegal sale and transplantation of human organs. Organ trafficking is the practice of stealing or buying organs through exploitation to be sold on a black market for profit, and transplant tourism is traveling to another country for the purpose of buying, selling, or receiving organs.
Information suggests a wide spectrum of actors are involved in organ trafficking in North and West Africa with connections to the medical sector in countries from Africa and beyond, notably in Asia and the Middle East.
Organ Trafficking can be done only in the framework of complex networks, due to the required skills (medical specialists, surgeons, nurses), logistics (matching compatible patients and donors), and healthcare facilities (analytical laboratories, clinics, operating rooms)
CHARACTERISTICS:
Individuals who sell or otherwise provide organs for the illegal trade may be
deceased persons who did not consent to the use of their organs, or individuals who are killed for their organs;
living persons who do not consent to the use or harvesting of their organs or are coerced, including by threat of force or offers for payment that take advantage of economic duress; or
living persons who consent to sell an organ (in some cases, such individuals may be misled about the nature of the medical procedure and recovery).
Kidneys are the most trafficked organ worldwide because a patient or donor can survive with only kidney. It is estimated that approximately 7,000 kidneys are harvested and trafficked illegally each year.
“Organized criminal groups profit from the desperation of the unemployed, migrants, asylum seekers and refugees to coerce them into selling an organ. Victims of human trafficking for sexual and labour purposes also find themselves at additional risk.
The techniques used for the recruitment and control of the victims are the same as those used for other types of human trafficking, such as promises of job opportunities abroad, as well as the useof threats and violence.
Most often, victim-donors receive a smaller amount of the money than had been agreed with the recruiter or broker, and in some cases they may not get any of the promised payment. Many victim-donors have suffered post-operative complications and health issues.
The socioeconomic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is expected to fuel Trafficking in persons for the purpose of organ removal (THBOR -is one of the most coercive, exploitative forms of the human organ trade) as it will likely be easier for brokers to coerce vulnerable individuals to sell an organ to improve their economic conditions. This is exacerbated by the fact that legal organ donations, and therefore transplants, have suffered major decreases since the outbreak of COVID-19”
Then currently, the Russian invasion of Ukraine has plundered the people there into total desperation in every aspect and many are becoming refugees which worstens the situation and becuase of the desperations presented they are now vulnerable to predators who will exploit their vulnerabilities to recruit victims into all forms of trafficking.
World Health Organization (WHO) Guiding Principles on Human Cell, Tissue, and Organ Transplantation
live donations should occur with the donor’s informed and voluntary consent and that donors should be provided professional medical care (Guiding Principle 3),
• cells, tissues, and organs should be donated, not sold, and that sales should be prohibited, though compensation for donations is permitted (Guiding Principle 5), and
• health professionals should not engage in, or provide insurance coverage for, transplantations that involved “exploitation or coercion of, or payment
The safe and legal way of donating organs is to choose to become an organ donor. In South Africa should you wish to become an organ donor, you can contact the Organ Donor Foundation on 0800 226 611.
We appeal to you to Donate now to keep our doors open and ensure ACT Africa’s financial sustainability during this perilous time and far into the future and will be assisting us in our mission to Save Lives Through Awareness and Education. #Donate today
Your donation will be used for the sustainability of our projects and the organisation.
Our banking details are:
Account holder: Awareness for Child Trafficking Africa (ACT Africa)
Bank: First National Bank
Account Number:62827188237
Branch Code 256055
Swift Code FIRNZAJJ
Email Proof of Donation to accounts@actafrica.org.za
ACT Africa is part of the CESE ( Coalition to End Sexual Exploitation) across Africa
Finally, everyone, the start of our CESE Africa 2022 webinar series in collaboration with World Hope International and ICOSE. Please circulate far and wide and let’s get people inspired to do something about the harms of pornography and its links to sexual violence and exploitation.
