Religious Against Human Trafficking – Kenya (RAHT-Kenya): 2021 Conference

RAHT had its annual conference on 16th October 2021 at the Tangaza University College, Nairobi. Even though a majority of the participants were following proceeding online, the conference nevertheless, attracted major speakers from the Government of Kenya, Talitha Kum, University Dons, The Church and the Civil Society. The RAHT annual conference idea was conceived in 2018. CHTEA is a collaborating member of RAHT.

Foundations of RAHT

Vision: Inspired by the mercy of God, we envision a world free from Human Trafficking.
Mission: To uphold human dignity at all costs from modern-day slavery to freedom by collaborating in eradicating human trafficking.

Founding Congregations

Canossian Sisters
Comboni Missionary Sisters
Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd
Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul
Medical Missionaries of Mary
Missionary Benedictine Sisters
Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa
St. Patrick’s Missionary Society
Brothers of St Francis Xavier (Xaverian Brothers)

Later, the founder members admitted the following membership:

  • Consolata Missionaries (IMC)
  • Contemplative Missionary Sisters of St De Foucauld (MDF)
  • Edmund Rice Advocacy Network (ERAN)
  • Franciscan Missionaries of Mary (FMM)
  • Franciscan Sisters of St Joseph (FSJ)
  • Incarnate Word Sisters (CVI)
  • Institute of the Blessed Virgin of Mary – Loreto Sisters (IBVM)
  • Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB)
  • Little Sisters of St. Joseph (LSSJ)
  • Quebec Missionaries (Foreign Mission Society, SME)
  • Religious Sisters of Mercy (RSM)
  • Sisters of St Joseph of Mombasa (SSJ)
  • Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (SSHJ)
  • Society of Missionaries of Africa (M. Afr.)
  • Yarumal Missionaries (MXY)

Collaborators

  • Counter Human Trafficking Trust – East Africa (CHTEA)
  • HAART- Kenya
  • Sema Nami

Laity 

  • Justice and Peace group (Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish – South B)
  • Patrick Society & SPS Safeguarding Children Project
  • Maryknoll Lay Missionaries

RAHT is hosted by RACK and AOSK and an affiliate of the Talitha Kum International (a global network of women religious congregations with headquarters in Rome).

 The Journey: RAHT from 2019 to 2021

  • On February 9th 2019 a Symposium was convened, followed by a 3-days training in March the same year.
  • In April 2019, field research was carried out in Kayamaiko, Nairobi to establish the child trafficking and child labor situation at the slaughter houses. A Position Paper was submitted to KCCB for endorsement. The research project was done in collaboration with CHTEA and members of Yarumal Missionaries and Contemplative Missionaries of St Charles de Foucauld.
  • In July 2019, RAHT convened a 3-days’ Training-of-Trainers’ workshop which had representation from the Eastern Africa region.
  • In September, 19-27, 2019, RAHT–KENYA was officially represented at the 10th anniversary of the international assembly of Talitha Kum in Rome, Italy.
  • In October 2019, a 3-days’ training was conducted to ground workers of slum areas within Mathare-Kariobangi-Kayamaiko-Ruaraka. The training was conducted by CHTEA, a collaborator with RAHT.
  • In November 2019, Human Trafficking awareness was carried out at the Tanzania-Kenya Border of Namanga to the youth by the Quebec Missionaries Parish.
  • On February 8th, 2020, RAHT participated in the World Day of Prayer through members’ initiatives
  • In April-May, 2020, members responded to the impact of COVID-19 lockdowns in different ways for example, St Patrick Society used the Child Safeguarding Program. Changes had to be effected to align with the changing Covid-19 situation/environment.
  • In July 2020, RAHT held an online sharing of Best Practices of Members and collaborators and this was carried out successfully.
  • On January 7th, 2021, Talitha Kum conducted a Leadership Course through an on-line workshop. It was dubbed “Impact of COVID-19 to migrants vulnerable to Human Trafficking”. The course incorporated participants from Kenya, Uganda & the United Arab Emirates.
  • On January 31st, 2021, RAHT held its first Annual General Meeting of members. During the same meeting, the leadership presented the final version of the RAHT Policy and 2021 program of activities.
  • On February 8th, during the World Day of Prayer, members took different initiatives in their Parishes.
  • On February 11-12, 2021, there was an on-line awareness training to the Seminarians & Lay partners of the Quebec Missionaries.
  • On March 6th, 2021, during the Celebration of International Day of Women, RAHT commemorated the event at Mombasa in collaboration with the Association of Sisterhoods of Kenya, Misereor and the Archdiocese of Mombasa.
  • From May 22nd to 23rd, RAHT convened the first of 3-phased Training- of-Trainers for the Coastal areas in collaboration with Caritas Mombasa and with funding by Talitha Kum
  • During July and August 2021, in an effort to commemorate the international United Nations’ World Day against Human Trafficking, RAHT organized a talk show series through a Catholic FM Radio called Waumini. RAHT members and survivors participated in the talk shows some of which drew a lot of interest from the public audience.

 

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