The story of a resilient Mercy

The story of ‘Mercy’ goes like fiction. At 17 years, Mercy (the short form) found herself struggling to continue with her education dream. This, even after she scored an enviable 316 points at Kenya Certificate Primary Education (KCPE) which earned her admission to Moi Girls Nairobi school, a prestigious national girls’ school.

Being an orphan, she relied on her older siblings to pursue her education. She found herself living with her older sister married to a gospel preacher. In the run up to KCPE, the older sister’s husband convinced Mercy to register in the name of the man (as her father) and the sister as her mother. Thus, Mercy’s birth certificate bares the brother in law’s name as her father.

When Mercy approached her sister about support to join Form One (F/1) at the Moi Girls’ school, she was told that this was not possible due to financial constraints. The sister proposed that Mercy joins a cheap day school which she accepted.  However, the sister’s husband turned against Mercy and asked her to leave the family since she was a burden to them. This was the beginning of Mercy’s deep tribulations. “I had to shift and go to live with another sister of mine who could hardly support herself for basic needs yet, this was the only option available to me and my life. As soon as I moved in with my second sister, I realized that she was pregnant and due for delivery in a few months’ time”, Mercy quipped with wetting eyes.

This was at the beginning of 2024 and she had joined F/2. During the 2nd term opening, Mercy was given KES 2000/- Stg2.00 (two sterling) to pay part of the KShs 5000/- termly fees. After one month, she was sent away after the mid-term break due the fees balance. Days turned to weeks and weeks into months.  Still a minor, Mercy had to make the painful decision of giving up her education to go out and look for work in the hope that she could support her expectant sister and save some for her education in the future. One morning, as she was walking from door to door asking for placement in domestic work, she bumped into a friend who advised her to visit Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church, and look for Sr Mary O’Malley, a renowned giver.

Even though Mercy did not find Sr Mary when she finally arrived at the church, she met a colleague who ushered her in and listened to her with compassion. She produced a set of documents which included KCPE certificate and her last school’s report form. According to the record, Mercy had scored very high grades giving her an average mean grade of B+. A call was made to the school’s Principal and a deal was struck to get Mercy back to school with immediate effect with a commitment to settle the fees’ balance in the shortest time possible.

“I am unable to believe this”, Mercy quipped. “How have you taken up my case so fast and did everything to ensure that I get back to school? I promise you, I will work hard and ensure that I achieve the dreams of both myself and that of my deceased parents”  she continued. “I will never shame you. I will preserve myself against any temptations for relationships by boys and men until I achieve my desired future”, she concluded.

Mercy’s case is a pure context for potential child trafficking, exploitation or abuse. At her tender age, she could have fallen into the wrong hands in pursuit of her dream. Even though it might look simple, hers is a classical case of a vulnerable minor lacking proper care and protection by the same society which claims to value it’s children as a future generation. The society needs deeper and sincere engagement with issues of human/child trafficking and more so the protection of vulnerable populations such as girls  & boys, the elderly and disabled. 

Education is the surest way out of poverty – vast numbers are trafficked due to lack of school fees.  It is extremely painful to see great potential wasted and forced to eake out a bleak/dreary existence in filthiest sub-human slums.  Then they try to raise their generation in the same conditions and poverty is never truly eliminated.  Without your assistance the likes of ‘Mercy’ could never achieve her dreams, my hope is to get her into a good boarding school. Sasumua is the name of one where I have placed three other ‘genius’ girls – Judith (A’s x10, B x1 with 100% in five subjects)  Nicole* Lisa and hopefully now, it will be the turn of Mercy also.  I know for a fact that even if I fund her in the day school she will not attain the vast potential she is capable of achieving.

Thank you again for the vast support you give to the most vulnerable of young people, they have yet a long way to go but remain there – they will make us all proud.

Best Regards

Mary O’ Malley, MMM

 

* I was present at the exorcism of her mother, she was a returned Survivor of Human Trafficking.  It was an awesome experience for me and I thank God for giving me such a privileged occasion to be part of.

East Africa: Organ Harvesting Hub?

A recent investigation by Newsweek reveals the alarming use of social media and cryptocurrency in the organ trafficking trade. Modern technology is being misused on platforms like Telegram, where human organs are sold in exchange for cryptocurrency.

Demand and desperation

The demand for organs is fueled by a global shortage, with about 90,000 people waiting for kidney transplants in the U.S. alone. This scarcity drives desperate individuals to sell their organs to escape poverty, or they are tricked into giving them up.

“[Organ harvesting is] primarily an activity of people preying on the desperate – migrants, refugees from war zones. They have no sort of financial wherewithal at all. The most valuable thing they may possess is their organs. Some people get so desperate, they’re willing to sell them.” – Tom Cardamone, President and CEO of Global Financial Integrity (GFI)

The World Health Organization estimates that 10,000 kidneys are traded on the black market annually. Newsweek’s investigation uncovered how traffickers exploit vulnerable people, offering organs from unwilling donors and victims of coercion. Advertisements for organs, like lungs for $10,800 and bone marrow for $1,500, are posted on social media, facilitating transactions through cryptocurrency.

Organ trafficking and cryptocurrency

Organ trafficking operations exploit the anonymity provided by cryptocurrencies and the reach of social media, making it challenging for law enforcement to crack down on these networks.

“Social media is the primary way that criminals offer illicit services. Yes, the Dark Web is used to sell organs, but social media is used to both seek out illicit organs that are being sold and to find buyers.” – Jarrod Sadulski, School of Security and Global Studies at American Military University

The use of coded language and emojis in communication among traffickers further complicates detection and intervention efforts. With an estimated $840 million to $1.7 billion generated annually by the global illegal organ trade, according to Global Financial Integrity, the problem is pervasive yet difficult to address due to limited resources.

“I think proving organ trafficking is really tough as most of the time the victims are not willing to cooperate, and to tackle this problem we need to make organ trafficking illegal – which is much easier to investigate.” – Silvia Tabusca, Human Security Program at the European Center for Legal Education and Research

Celebrating Ms. Edith Murogo: 2024 TIP Report Hero Award and a NAHUSOM Heroine

During the validation of the Network Against Human Trafficking and Smuggling of Migrants (NAHUSOM) on 16th August 2024 at the CHTEA offices, a new heroine was celebrated in the most special of way.

Edith Murogo, the Executive Director and Founder of the Center for Domestic Training and Development was recently honored with the prestigious 2024 Trafficking in Persons Report Hero Award by the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C, on June 24,2024. This was in recognition of her relentless effort to curb human trafficking and irregular migration, among other services in support of victims and survivors.

Edith’s story started way back in 2001 when she first set up a training unit for domestic workers in Kenya at her own residence in Nairobi. She later moved to a rented unit where the demand turn a twist as she got higher recognition to train domestic workers for foreign placement and her center got accreditation from the Government. The rest is history.

The US recognition was a testament to Edith’s unwavering dedication and the tremendous impact of her collective effort at CDTD. It was also a significant milestone not only for her organization but also for NAHUSOM where she has been nominated to be the “Goodwill Ambassador” at large.  In this new role, Edith edifies the broader fight against human trafficking and the smuggling of migrants. In a show of hands and demonstration of solidarity, all NAHUSOM members present during the meeting affirmed Edith’s new status.

WE, AT CHTEA CELEBRATES EDITH MUROGO AND WISHES HER ALL THE BEST IN HER ENDEVOUR TO CHAMPION THE CAUSE OF COUNTER HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND SMUGGLING OF MIGRANTS.

Above: Edith Murogo receives her award from the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken at Washington DC

In her NAHUSOM acceptance speech, Edith reiterated that, “I am deeply grateful for your support, which has been instrumental in helping me advance my mission to create a just and peaceful world where every individual enjoys their rights and dignity”.  She continued, “This award would not have been possible without the collaboration and partnership of allies like you”.

Above clip: The moment of glory and address to the world

“As I continue this vital work, I look forward to your continued support. Together, we can end human trafficking and all forms of modern slavery”, she concluded.

The Launch of the Migrant Response Plan for the East and Horn of Africa

Migration from anywhere involves a certain amount of risk, and migration routes across Africa are some of the most dangerous. In pursuit of safety, security, and a better life, African migrants travel across oceans and deserts to reach various parts of Europe, Middle East and the Far East Asian countries. Migration routes are not only about movement out of Africa but also within the continent. One such a route is the Southern, where migrants move from the East and Horn of Africa toward the south, with the ultimate goal of reaching South Africa and other a few other Southern Africa countries. Due to the vulnerable movement context, many migrants run out of money before they reach their intended destination. This scenario triggers a vicious cycle that sometimes ends in human trafficking. Nasty experiences such as abductions and forced labor, or, for girls and women, forced prostitution and forced marriage, the risk of becoming trapped in modern slavery looms large over each journey as unscrupulous smugglers and criminals turn a lucrative profit.

Kenya MRP Partners Coordination Meeting

In 2024, the MRP formally included two countries of the Southern Route7, Kenya and Tanzania. To practically advance this inclusion and identify concrete next steps in implementing the Southern Route components of the MRP 2024, the MRP Coordination Unit convened an in-person meeting for MRP partners from Kenya and Tanzania on 26 March 2024 in Nairobi. Nineteen MRP partner representatives from the Counter-Trafficking in Persons Secretariat for Kenya, Counter Human Trafficking Trust East Africa (CHTEA), Candle of Hope, International Organization for Migration (IOM), Salvation Army, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and World Vision Kenya attended the meeting. The outcomes of the meeting included an improved overall understanding of the MRP structure and operational modalities, mapping of country-level coordination mechanisms, a working understanding of MRP reporting and data systems, and an overview of the MRP communications and visibility strategy. The discussion culminated in the drafting of the MRP Action Plan for the partners to operationalize the agreed coordination and programming activities that will contribute to the successful implementation of the MRP 2024

The Regional Migrant Response Plan (MRP) for the Horn of Africa to Yemen and Southern Africa is a multi-stakeholder, multi-year and multi-country coordination framework bringing together governments, the United Nations (UN), the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) as well as international and national NGOs in Ethiopia, Somalia, Djibouti, Kenya, Tanzania and Yemen to strengthen humanitarian, protection and development assistance to migrants and host communities in vulnerable situations. While the framework is implemented by a wide range of 48 UN agencies, governments and NGOs (as stated in the Q3 report for 2023), the coordination of the framework is overseen by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and managed through the Migrant Response Plan Coordination Unit and the MRP Regional Coordination Committees for Regional Directors and technical focal points comprising 16 partners. The regional coordination meetings are complemented by three thematic working groups and country-level coordination meetings.

Unsafe migration in Africa

Unsafe migration in Africa: Lucrative business for traffickers

Migration from anywhere involves a certain amount of risk, and migration routes across Africa are some of the most dangerous. In pursuit of safety, security, and a better life, African migrants travel across oceans and deserts to reach Europe. Many run out of money before they reach their destination, beginning a vicious cycle that sometimes ends in trafficking. Threatened with abduction and forced labor, or, for girls and women, forced prostitution and forced marriage, the risk of becoming trapped in modern slavery looms large over each journey as unscrupulous smugglers and criminals turn a lucrative profit.

Thousands of migrants trapped in modern slavery or worse

In recent years people from Nigeria, Mali, Niger, and Senegal have been undertaking a perilous journey away from their homes in greater and greater numbers to find a better life in Europe or elsewhere. However, before they even reach the Sahara Desert or the Mediterranean Sea, many fall into the hands of traffickers and criminals waiting along the route.

Joyce Vincent, a Nigerian woman who barely survived her migration journey said:

“These thieves…if they catch you, they will either sell you into prostitution or they take your organs,”

Driven by a shortage of food, housing, and jobs as well as worsening security due to various regional crises, African migrants are desperate to find safety and security.

Scammers and traffickers exploit this desperation, turning it into a lucrative profit that costs migrants their freedom and sometimes their lives. According to human rights NGO Walk Free, across Africa, an estimated seven million people were living under conditions of modern slavery in 2021. Additionally, a recent International Organization for Migration (IOM) report found that at least 8,565 people died on international migration routes in 2023, making it the deadliest year for migration since IOM began keeping records.

Controversial agreements encouraging human trafficking

Leonie Jantzer from the human rights organization Medico International suggests that in a global context, particularly migration on the African continent is being criminalized by controversial partnerships between the E.U. and African states that sit along popular migration routes. In Jantzer’s opinion, current policies don’t stop migration and only encourage more human trafficking.

Jantzer said:

“If migration were legal, the traffickers’ business wouldn’t work at all,”

The controversial partnerships between the EU and African security forces were first launched in the early 2000s. Pressured and sanctioned by the E.U. which provides millions of Euros each year, these agreements allow African states to send migrants back to the places they fled. This, coupled with a lack of criminal prosecution for unscrupulous actors found along popular migration routes, is allowing human traffickers to turn a huge profit from modern slavery and to continue their exploitative activities with little concern of being caught or punished.

Migration should not cost your freedom or your life

Freedom United stands with those organizations demanding that governments cooperate more closely to catch the villains instead of criminalizing innocent migrants fleeing violence, exploitation, and unrest.

*Article from Freedom United, 30th July 2024

All in a matter of Hours

Meeting Victims of Human Trafficking

It started as a day like any other but as is the case in Counter Human Trafficking activities, it certainly was one we could not have imagined what was to transpire. On our schedule we had a trip to the International airport to meet two victims from Saudi Arabia. We arrived to find that the plane had just landed but after a period of waiting and most passengers had come out we decided it was time to try to call one of them. We had ‘Jackie’s’ name on a board, however, the ‘board’ on this occasion was the 42 page, A4 size “Training Manual” I designed in 2008, we refer to it as “Madam Lolo” (on a sheet of paper, taped on to the Manual, we just wrote the name of one of the two women we expected). In simple pictorial format the Training Manual details the trafficking of a 12 year old girl to a brothel-cum-bar who is exposed to a variety of severe hardships and sexual exploitation which finally ends in her death due to AIDS, having undergone several abortions by the doctor whom the ‘Madam’ calls in to carry out the procedure/s.

Planning our next move

Having waited so long we sat down in an airport café to sit and have some drinks and call ‘Jackie’ That in itself was a struggle as she was not picking her phone but we had an alternative number and she answered it telling us that she lacked an ‘exit visa’ and was turned back at Riyadh International airport on the previous evening. As all this was happening I spotted a long line of very young girls (at least eleven of them) come out of a Nissan van and with a small suitcase each they made a line heading in the direction of where we had just left, to ‘Saudi Airlines’ They were followed at the rear by a Madam in full Muslim dress. With Mutuku opposite me, I said: “look quickly, that trail of young girls are being trafficked” I could see his face ‘fall’ and my mind went back to another time when I was on my way home through Abu Dhabi direct to Dublin. I spotted a group of 14 very young pretty Ethiopian and Eritrean girls in the transit lounge, I knew they were being ‘trafficked’. An inner voice reminded me “Mary, you are starting your holidays now – just leave them” But another stronger, inner voice said ‘No, engage with them’ which I did and in very faltering English found that they were bound for Abu Dhabi for work, one managed to say “Work, Yes, we go work” I knew what fate awaited them and I felt very sad and helpless.

Take Courage Always

Today, with that trail of young girls on their way to an unknown fate, I stripped off the A4 page bearing the name of ‘Jackie’ and walked swiftly in their direction – carrying the “Madam Lolo” story. They had just reached the health scan checking for their Covid-19 certs. I asked one of them which county are you going to? Her reply was simple – just one word ‘Saudi’ which spoke volumes to me. I just placed the manual in her hands and said; ‘read this’ Some of the worst, most horrific and violent episodes come out of victims to Saudi - such has been my experience over 15 years. We have some photos of gross mutilations, burns e.g. placing a hot iron on a girl’s arm just because she burned the ‘tail’ of a man’s shirt and this was done by a woman – it amounts to gross inhumanity and a level of cruelty which defies imagination. As I walked a few meters away from them I just turned around and the Muslim lady was glaring hard back at me, I turned around and came back to our table at the café. Since beginning this work 15 years ago, I know that nothing is ever lost, no effort is too big in my passion to work Against HT whenever or wherever I meet it. In the Preface to a Strategic Plan of 2008, I wrote: “my mission is to sow ‘seeds’ very small seeds let God’s Spirit wing them where God’s Spirit wills” I have placed all my efforts and services in the hands of the Almighty who can and does Shepherd His people despite the awful greed of traffickers who reap so much wealth that it can finance the entire operations of Al Shabbab or Boko Haram.

Despite the fact that we spent over 3 hours going to the airport all was not lost, on the way back as we chatted we also conceived of an idea to do some ‘Research’ around this trafficking of young girls to Saudi and other Gulf States. In tandem with that idea and also very much related to it, that evening, Mutuku received a call at his home. It came from a deputy Officer Commanding Station (OCS) whom he parted company with just two weeks earlier. In the first week of February, 2021 Mutuku and George Matheka completed phase 2 of the ‘Training of Trainers’ (ToT) for 30 members of Kangemi Parish, Nairobi. The group included the deputy OCS and a female Officer and they also received their certificates as people qualified to present the whole gamut of Human Trafficking to any group of people who wished to engage with them.

Serious Criminal Activity

‘Peter’ this deputy OCS had an immediate urgent problem. It was 11pm and one hour after curfew, he had just arrested the driver of a Nissan van carrying one adult Muslim lady and 14 young girls aged 13 – 16 years (as verified by their passports). Each one held a small weekend case – ‘they look fearful and very terrified’ he explained to Mutuku. In addition, this driver carried 14 passports in an envelope inside his jacket pocket, there was no doubt ‘Peter’ was dealing with an immediate and very serious crime – there was no time to lose. Mutuku gave him the name and phone number of the “Transnational Organized Crime Unit” (TOCU) Officer who could help him immediately. It worked as a crime novel would describe it and when ‘Peter’ came to see us at our office some days later, he was beaming with pride, “this incident has given me more satisfaction than all the other crime cases I have dealt with in my 15 years as a Police officer” We Congratulated him again and he continued “Now I know that this is the kind of crime area I can specialize in” Last week he informed us that he has received promotion to move up the ranks as “Chief OCS” in charge of a large Police Division.

Story compiled by Sr Mary O’Malley, MMM @2021

Empowering adolescent children of survivors: A Comprehensive approach to Mental Health support.

In response to the pressing need for mental health assistance among “indirect adolescent survivors” of human trafficking, CHTEA embarked on a groundbreaking initiative tailored specifically for individuals aged 11 to 23. These young people, children of trafficking victims, faced unique challenges from their returning parents; most of whom were severely traumatized. The parents have been struggling to reconcile their past experiences with their present reality which has in effect had negative impact on children.

Structured over the April holidays, CHTEA’s counseling sessions provided a safe haven where children could freely express themselves, confront their concerns, and receive professional guidance. Facilitated by highly specialized counselor’s adept in adolescent psychology, the sessions combined individual counseling, group therapy, and psychoeducation, ensuring a holistic approach to addressing a myriad of issues including anxiety, depression, self-esteem, and interpersonal relationships. The methodology encompassed a diverse range of participants, reflecting varied socioeconomic backgrounds, cultural contexts, and family dynamics. Despite their differences, all children shared their common threads of emotional distress and psychological trauma.

Findings from the sessions underscored their profound impact on their family relationships and the on-going challenges to their future, if un-addressed. Early adolescents found solace in addressing identity formation, peer pressure, and academic stress, while teen participants navigated more complex issues such as strained relationships with their mothers, romantic relationships and future aspirations. Across board, improvements were evident in self-confidence, communication skills, and a sense of empowerment towards the end of each therapy session.

In conclusion, CHTEA’s therapy sessions have emerged as a beacon of hope for adolescent indirect survivors of human trafficking, fostering resilience and promoting mental well-being. Moving forward, it is imperative to sustain this momentum, offering tailored support to meet the evolving needs of this vulnerable group who have for the longest been forgotten. By prioritizing mental health awareness and resilience, we can empower these young individuals.

Organ harvesting syndicates prey on Kenya’s desperate youth

Impoverished young men are selling their kidneys in return for cash to start their own businesses.

The price of a kidney in Kenya? Just under US$1, 000 plus a motorbike. That is how 30-year-old Joseph Japiny, from Oyugis town in Homa Bay County in western Kenya, got his boda boda – a motorbike taxi he uses to earn a living. Japiny told the ENACT project that he was introduced to Jadhot, a broker recruiting young men into the kidney-harvesting underworld that operates between Eldoret, Busia and Nairobi. Jadhot said that if he donated one kidney, he would be paid US$984 as a down payment and another US$984 in the form of a Boxer motorcycle. This he could use as a boda boda taxi – a common occupation among young East African men.

Japiny agreed to the deal and was taken to a private clinic in Eldoret for tests. Two weeks later, he was back in Eldoret where he received food and accommodation, and underwent regular blood, urine and faecal tests over the next three weeks. Throughout this time, Japiny had a minder – a person hired to look after those whose kidneys were going to be harvested. The illicit enterprise points to significant legal shortcomings in protecting vulnerable young people.

In the fourth week, Japiny was moved to a nearby clinic where his kidney was removed. He stayed there under observation for three days and then spent another three weeks in his hotel. During this time, he had regular check-ups by a doctor from India who did not speak Swahili. He was then given his motorbike and sent on his way.

The media have reported on allegations of illicit kidney harvesting in Kenya since 2019, and Japiny’s story shows that the trade is continuing. The illicit enterprise involves a network of actors who exploit poverty and unemployment among young men in their mid-20s and early 30s to meet the black-market demand outside the country. It also points to significant legal shortcomings in protecting vulnerable young people.

A broker who spoke to ENACT on condition of anonymity said he had recruited over 100 young men in Oyugis in the past year. Most were from low-income families, and many had not been educated beyond high school. They wanted capital to start their own businesses. While many see this as an opportunity to support themselves and their families, they are not necessarily told of the dangers, which include high blood pressure and reduced kidney function that could lead to kidney failure. Some have complained of constant pain at the surgery site, while others say they struggle with long-term back pain. Clinic owners serve the value chain by supplying harvested kidneys through the black market in India. The youths are lured by the prospect of cash, with some being paid as much as US$5 077 (KES750 000) for a kidney. However, with the increase in young people seeking to donate their kidneys, the price has dropped to around US$2 000 (KES300 000). This is despite one kidney on the international illicit market costing on average US$85 000.

In western Kenya, youths based in rural areas serve as brokers and recruit vulnerable, healthy young men. These local brokers work closely with agents in cities such as Eldoret, who connect victims of organ trafficking to the clinics where the operations occur.
Clinics and private hospitals in Eldoret are allegedly key nodes in the illicit harvesting and supply of kidneys to recipients in India. At the clinics and rented properties where the surgeries are performed, Indian doctors are brought in to carry out the procedures and post-operative care. Minders play a critical role in escorting victims and organising their travel and accommodation. The clinic owners serve the value chain by supplying the harvested kidneys through the black market in India.

This network of local and international criminal actors goes largely unchecked. The Kenyan Health Act of 2017 provides for the donation of kidneys to relatives or for scientific purposes, within strict guidelines. But the act doesn’t explicitly outlaw the illicit trade in which people agree to sell their organs – a loophole that aids illegal harvesting, storage and transportation of kidneys. There is no existing legal provision for acts involving people willing to sell their kidneys. The Health Act imposes a fine of US$65 700 or a prison term of up to 10 years, or both, for organ harvesting or trafficking. However, it is impossible to police organ harvesting when there is no existing legal provision for acts involving people willing to sell their kidneys for monetary gain.

While the Kenyatta National Hospital – Kenya’s largest referral hospital – issued a statement in 2022 discouraging youth from selling their kidneys, much more needs to be done by authorities to prevent this trade. For a start, the legal gaps need to be closed and clear regulations that accommodate this context must be put in place. Active and ongoing oversight of medical facilities and personnel is also required to ensure adherence to ethical practices governing organ removal, transfer and transplant in Kenya.
This article was first published by ENACT, a project of ISS and Interpol

Yearning for attention and affirmation: “Gen Z” Generation

There is pin-drop silence in a typical Kenyan home. The four-year-old last born is glued on the TV watching her favorite cartoon, the pre-teen is on the house phone watching a popular Us-based make-up show while the older teenage brother is hooked on some online games.

A mother, back from work at 8 pm, frantically knocks the door but nobody answers. After several frustrating knocks, the house help emerges from the bathroom in a hurry and opens the main door ‘’How come none of you opened the door yet I have knocked for hours," the mother complains. But the children stare blankly at her like she is from another planet. We did not hear you knocking the trio echoes back innocently. That is the typical scenario in marry Kenyan homes during the holiday season as children are glued to gadgets, for hours on end, oblivious of what is happening around them and it is now a cause for concern. When schools close and young ones are at home, instead of playing and socializing with their peers as is expected, they are glued to gadgets, from tablets, to laptops and smart phones Unlike in the past when children would play themselves dirty on vast playgrounds during the holiday season, now things are different and it is worrying experts.

Ms. Juliet Gikunda, a child psychologist, says there is a serious problem that needs urgent attention: A study published last month by the Pew Research Centre, indicates that about 38 percent of teenagers in the US acknowledge that they spend "too much" time on their smartphones and social media plat forms. The same scenario applies in Kenya.

Safety concerns

" It is dangerous when we give children too much freedom to use our gadgets and go online but we do not monitor their activities hence exposing them to safety concerns," says Gakunda who also manages Karan Children's Vocational Centre in Kikuyu. Ms Gakunda admits that though times have changed and parents cannot stop their children from using technology, they can still ensure that they use screen time meaningfully.

There is a need to define the boundaries as technology use has its advantages and disadvantages, the expert cautions.
"We have noted that the children are spending too much time on the screens, they are becoming socially awkward, withdrawn and want to have their 'me time’ with their gadgets, and when you wade their privacy they become aggressive.

When you check parents’ WhatsApp, TikTok or Facebook status, you find teens anal youth speaking their minds and expressing their emotions. It is like they are crying for attention. If there was a safe space at home where they could pour out their feelings and be listened to, they would not be all over social media, says Gikunda Teenagers and adolescents are posting their pictures on social media sites to seek affirmation and validation from strangers "This is dangerous as we have had seen instances where teenagers have committed suicide because they were cyberbullied through negative comments on their social media posts," Ms Gikunda observes.

Authored by Millicent Mwololo, Nation Media Group
With such a weak relationship between children and their parents, the former seem to find solace in alternative “online community support system” which is largely unregulated. From a very early age, most youngsters discover social media as the exciting alternatives to their absent parents. Indeed, it has become a routine practice for parents to buy gadgets for their children in guise of facilitating online studies/research projects.
Once online, the young minds delve into the depths of discovery hence, they are bound to engage with strangers some of whom are emerging or convicted paedophiles or child traffickers who offer the most attractive conversations and promises which become the new pathway to self-destruction for the young minds minds. Other youngsters end up joining dangerous groups which epitomize success through grooming, drugs, crime, pornography and gaming (betting). It is the easiest manner through which child traffickers subdue the young minds

With such a weak relationship between children and their parents, the former seem to find solace in alternative “online community support system” which is largely unregulated. From a very early age, most youngsters discover social media as the exciting alternatives to their absent parents. Indeed, it has become a routine practice for parents to buy gadgets for their children in guise of facilitating online studies/research projects.
Once online, the young minds delve into the depths of discovery hence, they are bound to engage with strangers some of whom are emerging or convicted paedophiles who offer the most attractive conversations and promises which become the new pathway to self-destruction for the young minds. Other youngsters end up joining dangerous groups which epitomize success through grooming, drugs, crime, pornography and gaming (betting). It is the easiest manner through which child traffickers subdue the young minds

With such a weak relationship between children and their parents, the former seem to find solace in alternative “online community support system” which is largely unregulated. From a very early age, most youngsters discover social media as the exciting alternatives to their absent parents. Indeed, it has become a routine practice for parents to buy gadgets for their children in guise of facilitating online studies/research projects.
Once online, the young minds delve into the depths of discovery hence, they are bound to engage with strangers some of whom are emerging or convicted paedophiles who offer the most attractive conversations and promises which become the new pathway to self-destruction for the young minds. Other youngsters end up joining dangerous groups which epitomize success through grooming, drugs, crime, pornography and gaming (betting). It is the easiest manner through which child traffickers subdue the young minds

Cyberbullying causes mental instability in children, which manifests in symptoms like anxiety attacks and withdrawal. "In a bid to cope, some fall in to drugs, become anti-social, get depressed and experience lack of sleep or too much of it. Parents may notice a different behavior pattern in the children and for some, if medical attention is not sought, they might end up com- mitting suicide." Owing to the pressures of life, many parents are finding themselves too busy to parent their children.

The Global Commission on Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking

The Global Commission on Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking: CHTEA engages with the high level Commission.

Rt. Hon. Lady Theresa May MP, Chair, Global Commission on Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking poses for a photo with Mr Mutuku Nguli, CEO, CHTEA on 4th June 2024, during a recent visit to Nairobi Kenya.

The Global Commission on Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking is an international initiative led by The Rt Hon Theresa May MP to exert high-level political leverage to restore political momentum towards achieving UN Sustainable Development Goal 8.7 to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking.

In 2022, the Modern Slavery and Human Rights Policy and Evidence Centre was commissioned by The Office of Theresa May to conduct a scoping study examining the case for establishing a Global Commission on Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking.
The Scoping Study was funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. The team carrying out the Scoping Study met with more than 50 actors working to address modern slavery across the world, including global and regional intergovernmental bodies, international human rights groups, survivor organizations, civil society organizations and businesses.

It also conducted a survey of comparable Global Commissions, a literature review of evidence identifying potential priority areas of intervention, and a wide consultation on how best to embed people with lived experience in the work and governance of a potential Global Commission.

The Kenya visit

The Global Commission on Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking visited Nairobi (and Africa for that matter) for the first time to gather data regarding the future of her work as well as gather validated information regarding a number of strands which were articulated through conversations steered by a set of 25 questions.
The meeting held on 4th June 2024 at the Radisson Blu hotel was between the Global Commission and a select group of CSO’s. The Commission’s Chair and her deputy gladly graced the conversations. Later that evening, the British High Commissioner to Kenya hosted a reception galla at his official residence in Nairobi in honor of the Global Commission.