From Anti-Human trafficking Awareness to Anti-Human

Trafficking Academy
A story of how Joseph Osuigwe Chidiebere started The Academy for Prevention of Human
Trafficking and Other Related Matters (a subsidiary of Devatop Center For Africa
Development) by Difference Makers News.

Tell us about yourself and childhood experience?

My name is Joseph Osuigwe Chidiebere, the Executive Director of Devatop
Centre for Africa Development, and the coordinator of The Academy for Prevention
of Human Trafficking and Other Related Matters (TAPHOM). I was born on 26 th June,
1985 to the family of Mr. and Mrs. Lugard Osuigwe Maduka, from Ehime Mbano,
Imo State, Nigeria. I am the first born of two boys. My childhood has its good and
bad side. Well, it is important to say that I spent only two years with my mummy,
and at most 8 years with my father. The rest of my childhood was with 5 different
families from distinct locations. I would say my childhood experience was very
tough. At the age of 8 plus, I started farming, digging stones, gathering gravels,
and other hard works that were beyond my age. There were times I was locked out
to sleep outside for not doing or completing farm work, and other domestic works.
This affected my education. In few occasions when I changed a location, I will be
forced to step down in class. But, the good side of it is that it was a learning
process. The experience taught me hard work, perseverance, temperance, and
endurance.
So how did you become a graduate?
I am a graduate of Education Mathematics from University of Nigeria. It was hard for
me to register for JAMB/entrance exam to university because of unavailable and
delayed support. However, after four years, I eventually gained admission to
university in 2007. While in 200 level (second year) I started students
empowerment, lecturing 100level students on mathematics, writing and distributing
inspirational newsletters to students, and organizing yearly academic seminars for
newly admitted students. I started my activism while in school, advocating for
students right, combating examination misconduct and extortion of money from
students, and also attracted enmity from corrupt lecturers. I was my departmental
course leader for 4 years, but I resisted the temptation of been used by lecturers to
extort money from students. The summary of it is that there was a targeted attempt
by some of these lecturers to keep me in school for extra 2 years. On several
occasions my results were withheld, scores denied, scripts missing, and all that. This
affected my result negatively. But with persistence and hard work, I graduated at
due time.
How did you start anti-human trafficking advocacy?
Ehmmmthat was during my National Youth Service Scheme (NYSC) in 2013, then I
was a member of Millennium Development Goals Community Development Group.
However, the passion to combat human trafficking and other related matters

became obvious during my NYSC primary assignment at Women Rehabilitation

Center which was operated by Society Against Prostitution and Child Labour in
Nigeria. The centre is a place where victims of sexual exploitation and repented
commercial sex workers are rehabilitated. I was one of their teachers and mentors.
I organized empowerment programmes for the survivors/victims, mentored few of
them to enroll for higher education, provided academic materials for some, and
organized competitions for all. I also had one-on-one chat with some of the victims
of sexual exploitation; it was on that process that my passion was ignited, and also
realizing that Nigeria is among the countries with highest numbers of victims of
human trafficking, my anger against modern slavery and gender-based violence
was kindled. I told myself, I will dedicate my time, creativity, energy and resources
to combat this evil. So I launched into action.
First, I consulted so many people, did a background study of the problem, gathered
few statistics, and explored partnerships. I can remember vividly that some people
told me, this is not a lucrative venture or project that could attract sponsorships.
However, I was willing to use my allowance and savings for this project. I made it
my National Youth Service Community Project; wrote letters to schools in vulnerable
communities and got approval. So, I started the anti-human trafficking awareness in
five communities. I partnered with National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in
Persons (NAPTIP) to educate more than 2000 teenagers, youth, and teachers on
how to combat human trafficking. My friends and colleagues volunteered for the
awareness. During the awareness, there were about three female victims of sexual
exploitation we counseled.
Later in November 2013, in commemoration of
International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, I and my team
organized inter-school quiz competition on sex trafficking with material support from
United Nations Office for Drugs and Crimes (UNODC). Anti-human trafficking
awareness materials from UNODC were donated to the participants.
I usually spend 60% of my allowance on the project; sometimes I skipped my meals
and preferred trekking instead of boarding taxi so as to save money for printing and
submission of letters. A lot of people, organizations and companies found it strange
to support the anti-human trafficking project, and considering the fact that I was
just starting it. But, the result and testimonies I received after the first edition of the
awareness increased my motivation to continue with the project. It was during that
same year that Devatop Centre for Africa Development started with focus on
preventing human trafficking, and educational empowerment. We continued with
the anti-human trafficking awareness in primary schools and did a 20 minutes TV
programme with Nigerian Television Authority.
In 2014, we organized the second edition of the awareness for 1900 students on
how to prevent human trafficking, rape and gender-based violence.
On 12th June, 2015, to commemorate the World Day Against Child Labour, we
organized an awareness for 160 market women and men at Dutse, Abuja.

How did you start the Anti-Human Trafficking Academy and what are your
objectives?
More than 27 million people are victims of human trafficking globally. This figure
exceeds the population of most countries. 50 million uneducated, illiterate,
unemployed, less privileged, and displaced Nigerians are vulnerable to human
trafficking. We realized that there are much works to do to end human trafficking;
and just few people are doing them. We also felt that awareness is not enough to
combat human trafficking. We saw the need to train advocates and trainers who will
take strategic actions against human trafficking and other related matters. This
need propelled us to establish The Academy For Prevention of Human Trafficking
and Other Related Matter (TAPHOM) in July, 2015. The academy is aimed at training
anti-human trafficking advocates and trainers who will organize awareness,
campaign, seminars, trainings, shows, and monitor and report human trafficking
incident. The academy focuses on training, advocacy, research, counseling, referral
and publications.
On 10th and 11th July, we trained 27 youth and educators as advocates and trainers.
Some of the advocates are taking strategic actions, organizing anti-human
trafficking seminars in their various locations.
On 1st August 2015, we organized a campaign: Freedom Walk and Show against
human trafficking and rape in commemoration of World Day Against Trafficking in
Persons.
Last week, on 25th and 26th November, 2015, the Academy for Prevention of Human
Trafficking and Other Related Matters trained 65 law enforcement, legal
practitioners, medical professionals, youth, educators, religious members,
journalists, community volunteers, media professionals and survivors on anti-human
trafficking advocacy course.

So far, what has been the outcome of the anti-human trafficking training?
Well, it is just less than 5 months we started the anti-human trafficking academy. 3
youth among those who participated in July training have organized seminars in
Abuja were they sensitized students on how to combat human trafficking. Few
others have reported incidents of child abuse to us, and we have seen the social
media campaigns of other participants.
The participants of November training were empowered to organize step down
training, awareness and media campaigns. We expect that at least 40% percent of
them will organize actions within the next one year. But we are certain that the
training improved the knowledge of law enforcement and legal practitioners, and
they will become more proactive in handling cases on human trafficking, rape and
other forms of abuses. The educators are expected to educate their pupils/students,

identify and report situations where students are experiencing potential abuse
including human trafficking.
Considering the fact that ending modern slavery should be a collaborative
effort, who else are you collaborating with to combat human trafficking?
I believe in the power of collaboration. I like to call it Collabo. Apart from passion
and hard work, our achievement is also a reflection of collaboration and partnership
with some reputable and committed organizations and individuals. We have
engaged more than 15 organizations and firms in the fight against human
trafficking. Some of our partners are National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in
Persons, African Centre for Media and Information Literacy, National Human Rights
Commission, Mova Industrial Design, Fight Against Child Trafficking, Dorothy
Njemanze Foundation, Studio 24, Media Insight. We hope to collaborate with more
national and international organizations.

Where will the anti-human trafficking academy be within the next 10

years?
The academy has the potential to be a globally recognized academy that trains
advocates and trainers to combat human trafficking in different African and Asian
countries. However, within the next 10 years, we must have replicated the
academy in 3 regions of Nigeria, and in 3 Africa countries. Some of our goals
include: to train 200 anti-human trafficking advocates yearly who will reach out to
over 50, 000 people; to sensitize at least 8, 000 people yearly through our
awareness; to establish a hotline/helpline against trafficking in persons; to build our
headquarter with 150 capacity lecture hall, research/ICT centre, library, etc; employ
more people; give small grants yearly to some of our trainees to carry out antihuman trafficking projects; organize skill acquisitions for survivors and vulnerable
women and youth; and so many others which I may not mention because of time
and space. Most of these will take place within 2 to 5 years.
Meanwhile, by 2016, we will release our 3 anti-human trafficking booklets, and
some awareness materials (documentaries, storybooks, and songs). I must say that
we will be persistent, consistent, insistent and creative in combating human
trafficking and other related matters.