Malawi: International Organization for Migration (IOM) has trained the Lilongwe Teachers Training College’s student teachers. They were sensitized with knowledge and information regarding child trafficking during their training.
The aim of the initiative is to ensure that they can extend their support to combating child trafficking in the country. The IOM made the announcement on the sidelines of World Day Against Trafficking in Persons.
The event commemorating the day was hosted by the International Organization for Migration on Friday. The Lilongwe Teachers Training College served as the venue for the commemorative event
African Union-IOM Migration Youth Ambassador, Walter Kasempa said IOM acknowledged that that teachers spend more time with children. Accordingly, they decided to train the teachers, with the aim of protecting the children.
“We understand that majority of day-to-day activities of the child they spend with teachers and because of that fact we saw it fit to engage student teachers so as they are transitioning in into their profession, they should be aware of risks associated with child trafficking and how they can prevent those risks,” he said.
Kasempa added that IOM is helping teachers gain knowledge and information regarding to child trafficking. This will help them in building up skills of combat child trafficking at schools as they will be practicing their profession.
He said there need for other stakeholders to come in and join IOM in order to fully fight human trafficking especially child trafficking in the country.
“We need collaborative efforts starting from government, society, youth, donor agencies as well as financial institutions to finance the humanitarian effort.
“When we have that approach will be easy for us to come up with the solutions to the challenges that are there in terms of human trafficking particularly child trafficking in Malawi,” Kasempa said.
One of Lilongwe Teachers Training College’s student teachers, Wakisa Nyirenda commended IOM for engaging them on issues of child trafficking.
He said what they have learnt would help them to protect children against child trafficking at school.
According to him, currently over 40 million people globally including those from Malawi are the victims of human trafficking and more effort is needed to address the human trafficking issue globally as well as in the country.