|PIC1|Prison staff in Albania took part in special training last week about the issues of human trafficking, as part of a wider project supported by BMS World Mission.

Training was held in the capital city, Tirana, for prison guards, social workers, educational officers and directors of the pre-detention prison.


Response

Hannah Wilson, BMS representative for counter-trafficking, said prior to the session, "The aim of this training is to build awareness, to teach the prison staff how they should respond if they identify a trafficking victim and to highlight the government's work."

This is being run by members of the prison ministry, Rezarta Kardellemaj and Sedika Fushekati, with involvement, notably, from Albania's Deputy Minister of Interior, Iva Zajmi.

This is just one way in which BMS is supporting Albanian Christians in their work to combat the trafficking of people in that country.

Training in Albanian churches is being launched in November, in co-operation with the government and some NGOs. Hannah is involved in organising the syllabus and says, "Eight people from Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant churches will be trained in a number of areas.

"This includes looking at the psychological effects on a victim of trafficking and what support a victim of trafficking needs and how the church can provide this. We want them to learn how to train others in their churches and communities in this work".


Business

Training is just one element of the work. A sewing business project for ex-prisoners and victims of trafficking is planned, and a BMS mid-term worker is being sought to lead this.

|PIC3|The Evangelical Alliance in Albania is organising a prayer walk throughout the county next spring to raise awareness and to mobilise churches to respond. Hannah is working with the European Baptist Federation and is running a seminar at an anti-trafficking conference in October.


In transit

Additionally, more than 6,000 people have now signed up to the In transit postcard campaign, which asks UK Christians to support what Albanian Christians are doing and to lobby the Albanian Government to do more. A petition of names will be presented to the Albanian ambassador in London in November.

The campaign runs for less than two months now - so if you've not yet signed up, now is the time to do it. Get others in your church to do the same. Get details about postcards and church resources by clicking HERE





[Re-printed in Christian Today with the kind permission of BMS World Mission]