Why do I use the word ‘Awesome’ here in referring to this Holy week in human history?  It is not just about the Christian story, our redemption and the full story of Celebration of the God-man Jesus Christ who died for us that we might live. It is not just in/for this present time but also that we shall meet Him as we head into the threshold of eternity. We stand at a moment when our fears alone can totally overwhelm us.   We feel locked-down and resent it.  We feel mentally caged-in, our usual ‘haunts’ are out of bounds – why should we have to submit to all this?  In some respects, we resemble the ’terrible-twos’ who must protest: No! No! No!

We like to think we are in control but we are not in the least in control.  An invisible virus holds each human person in its ferocious grip and the world waits for a perfect vaccine.  But sadly, the most perfect vaccine eludes us and leaves many scientists baffled.

We are bombarded on all sides – we can rarely find any interesting news points to salve our spirits.  Yet, we have chores to do, children to raise, a monthly wage package to bring home.  We are often warned in advance by the news reader that we will find this information disturbing – and lo! I can hardly ‘stomach’ it.  Today we had to face again the endless brutality meted out to the citizens of Myanmar, a military who use a ‘scorch-earth’ annihilation of their very own people.  Now they are chased away by the Thai regime who refuse to offer them any semblance of human decency and care.   Each living soul in that recent militarized country stand on the precipice of disaster, where pain and tragedy blend to crush and dampen their newborn democracy.

These are difficult and unpredictable times indeed. What with Covid-19 numbers increasing in Africa and more deaths, there is sadly, a growing state of Covid-19 millionaires through corruption, weak health systems and poor governance.

The “Passion” of Christ during this Holy Week should enkindle a renewed hope and human transformation towards a greater prosperity and more humane virtues of life. To win this war, we must be united in our Words and Deeds inspired by the forthcoming Resurrection of Jesus Christ and in the eternal of life after death.

INTRODUCTION

‘Stacy’ is a young girl coming from a family of two siblings aged 8 and 3 years and a step-father. They reside in Mukuru kwa Njenga. Her mother, runs a business of selling chicken at Pipeline Estate.

‘Stacy’ did her KCPE in 2019 and joined Topline Mixed Secondary School at Mukuru.  But she only remained in school for two weeks due to lack of fees. Since then, she has not be in good terms with her mother.

GENESIS OF THE PROBLEM

The problem between the mother and ‘Stacy’ started immediately the schools were closed due to Corona virus pandemic. On one occasion, her mother came home drunk at around 11pm and requested her daughter to go out and buy food for the family. She argued that it was late and that she might be confronted by the police who can easily arrest her. The mother immediately started assaulting her.

Later, due to the environment she was exposed to by her mother, she decided to leave. She walked in and out of the village searching for an operating Kiosk but all in vain. She decided to go back empty handed even though she anticipated a tough reaction from the mother because she was drugged. Her mother assaulted her severely and send her out of the house claiming that she does not belong to that family and that she collected her in a ‘heap of garbage’

‘Stacy’ had no choice but to seek refuge at her uncles’ house at that time of the night which was some miles away despite the risks she was prone to at that time. The second occasion was on a Sunday morning when ‘Stacy’ as her normal duties, she woke up at around 6am in the morning and started preparing breakfast. After breakfast at around 8am, the mother saw her dressing up for Sunday service. She was immediately curious to know where she was going? ‘Stacy’ informed her mother that she was preparing for Sunday service. The mother reprimanded her that she was not going anywhere. As ‘Stacy’ tried to argue that she wanted to attend to a church service, the mother slapped her and punched her with a big blow on her left side of her stomach. She immediately collapsed.

‘Stacy’ has been sharing her experience about her mother with her uncle who has being supportive in times of need.

This report was brought to the attention of CHTEA by a community volunteer based at the Mukuru. ‘Stacy’ was advised to report the incident to Imara Daima Police Post. The victim had a swollen left side of the stomach due to the assault from her mother. Medical care was immediately arranged for ‘Stacy’ before the investigating officer secured a P3 police form to prosecute the mother. A safe house was identified and ‘Stacy’ was immediately placed in as CHTEA coordinates her further support for education and protection.

What of Victims’ Families?

Introduction

Did you ever think what it must be like if you were the parent/s of a Trafficked Victim?  S/he is gone for three years now and you’ve no idea if your son or daughter is dead or alive.  Of course the agent had promised she could call home anytime and it all sounded wonderful plus a wage packet that would help defray family debts and pay for siblings’ education.

Finally, ‘Lucy’ did come home but she was no longer the ‘bubbly’ teenager you knew. She was sad and cried a lot though she did her utmost to fight back tears.  We know that this family paid the ultimate price.  They literally had endless months and years of a “Roller Coaster” of pain, anxieties and major expenses.  Each new day their bitter agony arose with the sun and often continued deep into the night with the shrieking nightmares ‘Lucy’ was having.

The medical and psychotherapy expenses were catastrophic and dwindled all their savings and whatever resources they could find.  Some few friends helped a bit but they too have their own families and need what scarce resources they have to sustain themselves and the education of their children.  We have learned from reliable sources that agents destroy all records once the person they trafficked has reached the other side or whatever destination they had intended to send the person (who is now their victim).

What of the authorities who prepare passports and later some other authorities who facilitate their passage through our International Airport – they must know in their hearts who is a minor in years but whose date of birth is falsified.  What of the millions and billions of every currency in the world which is made by those in the sex industry?  There is a plethora of crime syndicates and heartless individuals whose contacts extend deep into the slums (where 60% of Nairobians live) and most remote areas of Kenya.  These too ‘Push’ the finest of our young people into unknown and dangerous places.

Sadly. it is women who are most skilled and ruthless in this whole trade of violence and rape.  The victims are forced to have sex with many men at any hour of the day or night.  Will there be a day of Judgement?  When will all our nations, authorities and people of goodwill wake up and say “enough is enough” the flesh trade must end NOW.  This together with all the purveyors of HARD PORN which ignite passions and fuel the DEMAND for purchased sex it creates around the world.

Conclusion

More than our physical environment need a good ‘clean up’ In our world and in Kenya there is a vast unseen ‘under-the-rug’ type of lethal violence unfolding at each moment of every day.  For humanity’s sake it is in all our best interests to give it our attention and be proactive in eliminating this new Slave Trade.

Mary O’ Malley

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 is 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 police 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 police 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 Police Officer Commanding Station (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 (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 Muslim lady carried 14 passports in an envelope inside her jacket pocket, there was no doubt she 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 “Acting OCS” in charge of a large Police Station.

The author of this article is Sr Mary O’Malley, MMM. A co-founder of CHTEA and current Chairperson of the Board of Trustees.

Introduction

The above-named boy went missing in November 2020. His mother, Sarah who is a single parent aged 35 lives at ‘Highway’ Estate, Nairobi. Fabs started engaging with other boys from the environs of Mukuru and surrounding areas. They had been moving around the residential areas especially during the period of Covid-19. It was believed that some of the boys were already members of feared Gaza gangs.

Fabs disappeared from the family for more than a week and his mother reported and recorded the matter at the local police Station under OB N0. 30/30/11/2020. Later, she went ahead to search for her son but all in vain. One evening, she received a call from one of her friends who informed her that she had sighted her son with a group of other children who were believed to be “the disciples of Gaza”, and that the boy had completely changed his dress code.

The mother left what she was doing and rushed to rescue her son but first, she had to arrange for security by mobilizing police officers because the Gaza gangs are a ruthless lot. When she got to the scene, she couldn’t figure out why her son was wearing a lady’s dress as well as putting on breasts like caricatures on his chest. When the boy saw his mother, he shouted at top of his voice……, “Mum, what are you doing here”? That was the time when the mother recognized the voice of her son.  With the help of the security officers they managed to rescue the boy and took him back home to their home. The mother tried to question the boy regarding what happened. She later realized that the boy was recruited by a group of boys who later handed him over to their “Boss” at Ashton Villa based in the neighboring Estate. The boy explained that he was later placed in a room with other two men and two ladies with firm instructions that he must comply and conform to whatever he was asked to do.

The boy was sexually abused and forced to move in with other men for sexual favors……. all this while, the gang leader got paid for his services. He was placed under strict surveillance by a gang master who constantly monitored his movements.   The boy further explained that he was not alone as there were other children from other slums within Nairobi who were facing the same kind of exploitation (both boys and girls). It was clear that the illegal business was sustained by provision of high-quality security from the gangs.

Action Taken

Once the victim got home, he expressed suicidal thoughts to his mother who in turn embraced him close to herself and reported the case once again to the local Police Station, recorded a statement and booked an OB No. 105/20/01/2021 for further investigation and follow up with the case. The mother later took the boy to the nearest Hospital (Mama Lucy) for further medical checkup. Tests confirmed that the boy was involved in anal sex for a period of more than a month. He was however HIV negative even though issued with preventive emergency medication (PEPs).

Current Status

The mother is now in need of a safe space to help the boy reform and get back on his feet and back to school. This case was reported to CHTEA by a Community Volunteer based at the vicinity of the incident. Once the report was received, a further contact was made with the Anti Human Trafficking and Child Protection Unit (AHTCPU) of the Police who took over the case from the local police station where the matter was first reported to. In conjunction with CHTEA, the AHTCPU offered professional counselling services to the victim as well as sought out for a safe house.

The case however took a new turn when the boy expressed interest to go back to his previous school and disengage from the gang life. This happened after counselling. The case is still being processed and CHTEA remains available to support the victim alongside the police children’s unit.

Note: Names and identities of both the boy (victim) and the mother have been changed to protect them from any harm

Victim Rescue and Repatriation.

As the Covid-19 pandemic progressed in the latter half of 2020, we were called to a number of pathetic circumstances where child victims of human trafficking were physically and psychologically abused.  Some had run away from where they were taken from distant areas of Kenya to be domestic servants in Nairobi slums.  We managed to repatriate a total of 12 children, taking each one to his/her parental home, which for us means we must travel with two people in line with safeguarding regulations to accompany the girl or boy to the parental home – all of the above children were under 13 years old.

A 6 year old Domestic Servant

‘Katasia’ stands out for me more than all the others.  She is a little Ugandan girl aged 6 years who was a domestic servant in the (rented) one roomed house of her biological aunt to cater for two boys aged 14 & 16 and a girl aged 13 years.  (See photo below) She was taken to Nairobi on the pretext of a good education, but she never saw the inside of any school and was never left with any food for the whole day.  One day, she found 50 Kenya Shillings equivalent of 50 cents (in British system) and went out to buy chips for herself.  In the evening, she was thoroughly beaten by the aunt (with visible welts even 2 days later), then she boiled water and poured it over the unsuspecting child.  The sight of her burns was horrific as you see from the copious bandaging.  She was of tender age, away from her parents and country of origin. Some women came around next morning as they had heard a child’s screams, they called us to see a way forward.

The procedure to follow here is that the matter is reported to the Chief and he involves the police.  Our facilitator was the first to arrive at the scene, in line with the directions of the Chief (who came himself also to see the child).  Immediately, he recommended that she be taken into the care of one of the Community Health Volunteers (CHVs), while we arranged transportation to hospital. Our facilitator and the CHV travelled to the hospital where she was admitted for 5 days.  On discharge, we took her to a Safe house for children.  It will be difficult to trace her family and the Uganda border is still locked down.  We suspect the lady has bribed the police as she should be handed down 8 – 15 years in jail but we keep fighting a losing battle most of the time.  Eventually, we will have to take the child with her aunt to the family home in Uganda.

Conclusion

Child trafficking is very rampant in Kenya, it is pathetic and very disturbing to see the cruelty meted out to children of tender years.  ‘Katesia’ is a small and very vulnerable child.  The teenage sons of her aunt made several attempts to frighten the CHV who housed and attended the child’s needs.  Eventually, the Chief had to post a Government soldier on the house of CHV.  When the little girl was discharged  the CHV moved out of that area but not before we had found a very nice, child friendly Safe house for ‘Katesia’  Even though the child should be taken from there because it exceeds the 3 month ‘grace’ period that children are kept at that centre but the staff are very understanding of the dilemmas we face. The court case of the aunt who committed this heinous crime is still on-going and yet she is the only one who can find the home place of ‘Katesia’ who is the daughter of her sister.

Note: Names and identities have been changed to protect victim from any harm

I was at an advanced stage of preparation for a Training Conference in Nairobi in April, 2020 for MMM Sisters in East Central Africa (ECA) health units – hospital and health centres.  I realise that we have a vast outreach to hundreds of thousands of people through our medical facilities.  My desire and hope is that Human Trafficking can be included same as any other heath subject.  Enter Covid-19 and we had to postpone the Conference till next year.

From November, 2019 to January, this year we had negotiated with leaders and Community Health Volunteers (CHVs) in four large slums, how to return if possible some young Karamojan girls who were trafficked to Nairobi some months or years earlier.  Then through the police of both countries and the Ugandan embassy in Nairobi we were finally able to repatriate 96 girls in a planned move back to their country.  We had negotiated that they were received by “Dwelling Places” – Safe houses in Uganda to assess each one and offer them training or safe return home to their families.  Life in Nairobi had become very harsh for the majority of them – they were in forced domestic labour, sexually exploited, others sent to Somalia as wives of Al Shabbab fighters, others were possibly sent to carry out bombings.  Some had managed to escape and were sleeping rough in the streets of these dangerous slums in Nairobi.

As 2020 ends we remember God’s Faithfulness to us despite all the uncertainty and turmoil we felt and with grateful hearts we journey towards Him with hope.

I wish you a Happy Christmas and a Blessed New Year 2021.

Love & Prayers.

Sr. Mary O’ Malley, MMM

From early July, we struggled back-and-forth in a brave attempt to rescue Victims from Lebanon.  One woman came to us saying her daughter ‘Teri’ was 11 years in Lebanon that she had two children there and the treatment they received from the Kenyan embassy was appalling.  Women were threatened that they could not access services unless they gave sexual favours to officials and they were obliged to pay for any services in $USD which they could not afford.  Then there was a massive bombing in the capital, Beirut, this resulted in increased violence, looting and homelessness.  Kenyans rioted at the Embassy and this may have moved matters a little.  Teri managed to find one room to share with 3 other mothers and children in total, 11 people ‘lived’ in that one room, on a very meagre diet as they took turns to go out looking for work in washing clothes or any casual jobs they could find.

Since July we were in already in pursuit of ‘Terri’s case in which we outlined the situation to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) in Nairobi, we also included a letter from her mother.  We were very happy to get an appointment with one of the MFA officials.  It was shortly after this that the MFA sent a delegation to Beirut.  We also contacted a Comboni missionary in Rome who works at Global level in Counter Human Trafficking.  She is in contact with Comboni Sisters in Lebanon and they assisted us by contacting Terri.  Through this contact we learned that she had a failed marriage to an Egyptian by whom she had 2 children.  According to Islamic law he has absolute custody of the children.  Finally through the Comboni Sisters and a Lawyer, he agreed to allow her custody of the children – it was a lengthy legal tussle and she could not have accessed services on her own.  They also linked her with a young Lebanese lady philanthropist who paid all the fares back to Nairobi.  We met her at the International airport with her two children and took Teri to her mother.  It was a very emotional moment when they met – Joy at being back to family in one of the Nairobi city slums.  I noted she had suffered severe weight loss and appeared very tense and traumatised, her sleep pattern was very disturbed (lying awake 2 – 4.am, “Thinking”).  This is not good for mental health, she shed many tears with me as she spoke of her fears, etc. etc.  She readily agreed to counselling and I took her to a Clinical Psychologist – Dr K who is also an MD and Psychiatrist.  All this has transpired almost 3 months ago, Teri is now progressing very well in her therapy she said “I no longer spank the children like I used to and I am beginning to enjoy them”  This is wonderful news and she is also doing well in a small Business Start-up we gave her (micro-finance).  Already she is talking about sending the children to school next year.

I wish you a Happy Christmas and a Blessed New Year 2021.

Love & Prayers.

Sr. Mary O’ Malley, MMM