The Coordination Office for Prevention of Human Trafficking (COPTIP), under the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Uganda Police, in collaboration with the German International Cooperation (GIZ), has partnered to raise awareness against human trafficking in secondary schools within the Bukedi Region. This sensitization program was conducted in five schools located near the border districts of Busia and Malaba in the eastern part of Uganda: Tororo Girls, Katarema School, Asinge School, Rubongi Army School, and Rock High School.
Tororo Girls was represented by 1,984 students, Katarema School had 1,239 students (675 boys and 564 girls), Asinge School had 1,311 students (740 boys and 571 girls), Rubongi Army School had a total of 2,700 students (1,524 boys and 1,446 girls), and Rock High had 1,209 students (633 boys and 676 girls), with 24 students with special needs attending, comprising 11 boys and 13 girls.
Commissioner of Police (CP) Twinomujuni Julius, the coordinator of Trafficking in Persons within the Ministry of Internal Affairs, explained that this initiative aims to address the issue at an early stage, recognizing that a significant number of victims are young individuals, especially school-going girls. The commissioner emphasized that traffickers often target students by enticing them with promises of attractive sponsorship programs for school and appealing job opportunities, exploiting the vulnerabilities of these students who ultimately fall into their traps.
As the holiday season approaches, he stressed the importance of vigilance among teachers, students, and caretakers. He added, “In the case of any appealing sponsorship, thorough verification should be conducted in coordination with the appropriate authorities” (CP Twinomujuni).
