Overview
Our partner works in the sprawling urban slum areas on the outskirts of Yangon, Myanmar’s capital. Due to poverty, children, young teens and women from the slums are vulnerable to being trafficked. Ongoing military rule (since 1/2/21) and COVID-19 has exacerbated the trafficking risks due to the collapse of society which has affected healthcare, jobs, food security etc and has increased poverty. Families fall deeper into debt bondage and are desperate. With 12 community centres operating in the poorest urban trafficking hubs, our partner is well placed to deliver strong anti-trafficking awareness programs to these vulnerable communities and to engage in regular household visits. Support groups are extremely effective in reducing individual and family vulnerability and increasing resilience.
Why Support This
Our partners are nimble, hands-on and experienced and work towards building safe and holistic communities. They work closely with other anti-trafficking agencies and community leaders to protect children and families to bring about change in communities where trafficking, gang violence and poverty are rife. We appreciate that they pinpoint effective strategies based on practical experience, and engage the participation of volunteers from the slum communities.
Budget
$46,400. This covers teacher training, materials for distribution, trafficking awareness and prevention events, as well as monitoring and evaluation.
The Need
Myanmar has suffered from 50 years of military rule and remains a country unsettled by government forces. Resources are limited and slum areas and poverty are common-place with one of the five slums mentioned cramming in a million people and others 200,000. Children as young as five are often involved in the care of their younger siblings or are forced to work, leaving them highly vulnerable to traffickers who live within the communities. The economic devastation of COVID-19 and the instability caused by the military coup in early 2021 that has left thousands of families in these slums areas without salaries or work for months, has only added to the vulnerability to trafficking.
Expected Life Change
