Dwelling Places Launches Project to Combat Child Trafficking in Karamoja
Dwelling Places, a Christian-based NGO, has launched a three-year project to protect children in Napak District from trafficking and exploitation.
The initiative, titled Prevention of Child Trafficking and Unsafe Migration of Children for Child Labor in Karamoja, was introduced during an inception meeting with key stakeholders in the district.
The project, implemented in partnership with Terre Des Hommes Netherlands, an international NGO, seeks to address the root causes of child trafficking, including poverty, hunger, and lack of education.
Napak LC5 Chairperson John Kodet highlighted the ongoing challenge of child trafficking in the region.
“We continue to battle cases of child trafficking. Many trafficked children face exploitation, abuse, and life-threatening conditions at the hands of their abductors. Some child returnees have suffered so much that their hands can no longer bend after being stretched for long hours while begging on the streets,” Kodet lamented.
Jessica Abenakyo, the Program Manager for Dwelling Places in Karamoja, emphasized the project’s goal.
“We want to ensure that all children from Napak District are free from child labor and trafficking, and that they equally enjoy their rights,” she stated.
The initiative will involve activities such as peer-to-peer education sessions, back-to-school awareness campaigns, and the establishment of child rights clubs in schools to create safe spaces for children to learn about their rights and protection.
Napak Resident District Commissioner Milton Odong pledged to collaborate closely with Dwelling Places and other partners to end child trafficking.
“Napak has long been a center for trafficking in Karamoja, but it is time to put an end to this vice,” he affirmed.
Stakeholders acknowledged that tackling child trafficking requires a multi-pronged approach involving law enforcement, NGOs, and community leaders.
They also identified gun violence, poverty, and lack of education as key drivers of the problem.
Through its rescue, rehabilitation, reintegration, and advocacy efforts, Dwelling Places aims to protect vulnerable children, including those from high-risk slum families and abandoned babies.
With strong collaboration from leaders and the community, the initiative marks a significant step in the fight against child trafficking and unsafe migration in Karamoja.
