October 2022
The Society for Empowerment of Young Persons (SEYP) has advanced its initiative through a grant from the Agents for Citizen-driven Transformation (ACT) Programme. The project focuses on improving the awareness of safe migration and human trafficking among youths, stakeholders, and government institutions. Campaigns were conducted in schools and rural communities in the Oredo and Ikpoba Okha LGAs of Edo State.
This comes in the wake of irregular migration, which has taken on a new dimension in the state with a growing number of youths becoming victims of trafficking. Irregular migration is influenced by some socioeconomic factors, poverty, natural disasters, and the "quick money-making syndrome". The predators, who are often relatives of the victims, use different tactics to lure in their victims. Many victims are children and youths who have become a target for traffickers and smugglers because they are often perceived as gullible.
Over the past nine months, SEYP strengthened the capacity of stakeholders to mitigate irregular migration and trafficking in persons through advocacy and training. Significant achievements have been made towards the objectives of enhancing the lives of women and young people to reduce irregular migration, human trafficking, and child protection concerns in Nigeria.
To sustain this progress, SEYP has set up Anti-Trafficking Clubs in eight secondary schools in the Oredo and Ikpoba Okha LGAs. In addition, four returnees were trained to serve as project ambassadors in these schools.
“This project has impacted the community and the students positively. I am thankful to ACT for the partnership with the Ministry of Education and the inauguration of the school clubs and peer educators.”
Victoria Omo-Ero, Executive Director, SEYP
