After working against trafficking in Burkina Faso, Sr. Angela continues in her new community in Nairobi.
In 2019 I followed online training on Human Trafficking and Project management organized by Talitha Kum International at the UISG (International Union of Superiors General). This training was an eye opener to the complexity of human trafficking in our society today. The knowledge received empowered me to collaborate with the Good Shepherd Sisters to form a network in Burkina Faso that extended to the surrounding countries who are source, or transit or destination of human trafficking. I was also very much involved in creating an awareness program within the Bobo Archdiocese and the other dioceses in the country. I have also participated in accompanying trafficked persons. The direct contact with this group made me burn with zeal to do what I can to contribute to fight against Human trafficking. The disfigurement of the human person and the pain inflicted on the person trafficked is beyond understanding. The formation was of great help to understand the system of human trafficking and to build skills of how to stand by such persons with love and compassion. During the training I learned project management, which was of great help. I shared the knowledge with different groups, and in collaboration with other religious we managed to have a first project in Burkina Faso of creating awareness in the surrounding countries. We put the skills and knowledge into practice. This experience increased in us as network, the importance of credibility and engagement toward the goal of the project. I am glad that the Burkina Talitha Kum continues with rescuing trafficked persons and prevention of Human trafficking.
When I moved to Kenya, I continued by joining the group of religious who work against human trafficking. I was asked too by Talitha Kum International to be part of the Africa Coordinating team for training other religious in Africa to network and join together our efforts as religious women and men.
This experience has increased my connections within Africa and the online rescue of persons trafficked. The first encounter with a person trafficked could not leave me indifferent. On the contrary it gave me a deep and sincere thirst to be part of other committed women for the dignity and respect of a human person; for I believe we are all created in the image and likeness of God. This responds very well to one of our four orientations. Wherever I am I remain vigilant on the issue of human trafficking. I do appreciate greatly the sharing and input of intercultural living as collaborators in the network against trafficking. This aspect is very important in team work but also in our globalized world as we work with different cultural contexts that impact Human Trafficking. There is much truth in the affirmation that when we collaborate with others, our own charism finds new expression without losing our specificity. Rather it contributes our specificity to global efforts of denouncing such injustice and inhuman business.
Sr. Angela Kapitingana, Nairobi, Kenya
