Each point on the map represent a package eLiberare sent in Romania for the prevention of the trafficking of persons for the Altfel-2016 week.
*Școala Altfel is a week where students don’t go to normal classes, but have all kinds of extracurricular activities.
Altfel week has recently ended. Over 300 teachers from across the country have decided to talk about the problem of trafficking in persons in their schools and classrooms by warning their students of the real danger, and informing them of ways to protect themselves.
We sought to find out how the events transpired through photographs received from across the country, and through the sincere testimonies of the coordinating teachers:
“I am an English teacher, and this year I had a surprise: at the beginning of this year, a 9th grader, a freshman, didn’t come to school. During the second semester, the principal discovered that the teenager has been kidnapped from her home by pimps. She was taken abroad, yet with the support of the authorities she was returned back to Romania. Now she is back to school for the second semester, and this year she is one of the best students in the class. These are important cases to notice, and to inform possible victims in order to stop these horrors.”
Gaesti, Dambovita
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“I choose this subject because I believe that any girl can be deceived by those who pretend to have the best intentions. One of my students was corresponding with someone on Facebook, and it was someone who was trying to influence her negatively. Fortunately, she told me, and I tried to explain to her the risks that she is taking. I believe that the film did a better job exampling than I could have. Thank you!”
Preutesti Elementary School
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“There is a modern slavery – human wreckage left rotting as a result of the trafficking of human life, drugs, violent families, youth delinquency, organized crime and the existing ramifications. Unfortunately, modern slavery has exceeded ancient slavery. Whoever does not make time for family, either has no more interest in it, or just leaves it for others to prey on it.”
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“Children have become aware of this sad subject, and they have asked how they, ordinary people, could do something to prevent the development of human trafficking. They have asked themselves an important question: how do those sold manage to escape and resume a ordinary life?”
Moara Nica Elementary School, Suceava
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“Being very close to my students and communicating with them often in class and outside of class, I realized that often times they minimize or do not recognize the danger that is lurking. They are preadolescent and adolescent, so they want to please everyone, to be original, to behave how they wish, and often times this goes against what adults tell them, which is neither true nor good.
In addition, oftentimes they are detached from reality because it appears that nothing can touch them (that they are intelligent and cautious) or that everything happens outside of their world. Many of them refuse to reach their full potential because they wish to be like X, Y, who have gone abroad, made good money, and now have who knows how many things of value. They wish that that things will be placed before them as simple as possible, and oftentimes they believe in the ads without substance. Often, I have seen some relatively suspicious ads – tickets about jobs abroad. In conclusion, I have chosen this activity because I want to help my students.”
Gura Humorului, Suceava
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We want to thank the teachers who care about the wellbeing of their students, who are not afraid to tackle a complicated subject, and who take the effort to prevent the affliction of human trafficking in school and their communities.