We never thought it was happening near us
On 7 February, we held a prayer vigil on the theme of Migration without Human Trafficking. The committee against human trafficking, to which Sr Angela from the Bobo-Dioulasso community in Burkina Faso belongs, reflected on how to raise awareness of the reality of human trafficking in the country and around the world. They invited a young man to tell his story of trafficking in migrants in the region, to show that trafficking is a reality in our region and to call for action to combat it. Issa from Mali and Yao from Côte d’Ivoire shared their experiences of being trafficked, and the suffering and torture they endured in the desert, which were touching and painful. Yao had been offered the chance to sell cocoa and find a better life in Italy. But the money was taken, and he had to work hard, even during the journey. He…