The fight against human trafficking in India is an important priority of several Congregations of Sisters and the Arise Foundation, which is a non - governmental organization dedicated to preventing modern slavery and human trafficking and supports a large anti-slavery network that includes more than 40 frontline groups across 19 regions of the country.
Arise has been working since 2016 to deliver anti-trafficking projects in India. Arise model works on the theory of accompaniment: they fund projects, offer capacity building to project leaders and support anti-trafficking networks. They strongly believe that individuals and organizations rooted in communities are best placed to provide meaningful support to people at risk of trafficking.
Their experience to date shows that effective trafficking prevention work is only possible when the relationship between Arise and frontline groups is based on mutual trust, solidarity, care, transparency, and respect. Foremost among the frontline groups fighting human trafficking are nuns.
Through low-cost interventions and, critically, the trust of the communities they serve, sisters and frontline groups across 19 regions of India are highly effective agents for change in the fight against human trafficking and modern slavery. Last year, Arise reached over 20,000 vulnerable people across the country through guided grants that promoted collaboration, mentoring, and training.
Guardians of Godda
Godda is a shining example of the success of this frontline model. The success of this approach has been observed throughout the “Jharkhand project,” specifically across 112 villages in the Damruhat region, where human trafficking has declined to a very low level over the past five years.
Now, there is safe and informed migration to the cities in this region, while skills training and income-generation programs have made it possible for the people of Damruhat to earn their livelihoods locally.
Sisters of the Bethany Convent have been working in Godda for decades. With support from Arise - including financial assistance, mentoring, training, and networking - they have established schools, credit unions, self-help groups, and skills-training programs with the help of hundreds of volunteers. Using banners and street plays, they travel between villages, raising awareness about the dark reality of human trafficking in a district otherwise bathed in sunlight.
Together with local authorities, the sisters have distributed tens of thousands of surveys and collected extensive research on the local population. From this data, an entire identification system has been created to curb human trafficking, including a migrant monitoring system managed by community members.
Humility and commitment to anti-trafficking work
In a statement to the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, Monica Moses, Arise Programmes Manager (India & Southeast Asia) said: “it has been a pleasure working closely with sisters engaged in anti-trafficking work across India. I have a deep admiration for their humility and commitment to anti-trafficking work, reaching communities that are ignored by other service providers and not considering any work below them”.
“The sisters in India's anti-trafficking network work with India's most marginalised groups that live in remote regions, fighting alongside them to restore their human dignity and protect their rights. I have seen first-hand the trust they build with the people they serve and this has reaped significant wins for these communities over the last few decades”, Moses further stated.
Who is Arise?
It is a charitable organization registered in England and Wales. Arise Foundation America INC is a public charity in the USA. They define themselves as "a faith-friendly organization, founded on the principles of Christian social teaching, we work with many groups of women religious and recognize the power of faith to bring about long-lasting change".