Human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery. Around the world, traffickers use violence, threats, and deception to force women and children into commercialized sex, criminal activity, forced begging, and hazardous labour. An estimated one in five victims of human trafficking globally is a child. In Uganda, children as young as seven are forced into domestic service or labour-intensive industries such as agriculture, mining, and stone quarrying.
Vulnerability at the Root
In regions where poverty rates are high, children face heightened risks of exploitation. In Uganda, roughly one third of the population lives in poverty. In an effort to ease financial pressure, some families send children to towns and cities believing opportunities will be greater there. Too often, these children instead end up living on the streets, where they are highly vulnerable to traffickers.
Health crises and social instability also increase risk. The loss of parents—whether through illness or other causes—can leave children without protection or steady care. Even within their own homes, some children face exploitation; families burdened by debt may feel forced to send children to work to repay what they owe. Rising economic strain has also been linked to increased early and forced marriages, another recognized form of trafficking.
Strengthening Families and Communities
World Renew’s partner in Uganda addresses these risks through the Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) program—an approach that places families, churches, and communities at the centre of protection and prevention. The program helps children facing life‑threatening challenges such as abuse, neglect, hunger, homelessness, and unsafe labour situations.
Support includes psychosocial care, vocational skills training, access to education, and nutritious food—practical tools that help families stay together and children remain safe.
Judith Alinda, now 17, credits this support with changing the course of her life. “I don’t know where I would be now if it weren’t for my grandmother and the OVC program…I would probably be wasting away on the streets,” she says. The program has been walking alongside children and caregivers like Judith’s family for more than 15 years, and the impact is visible across generations.
Looking back on difficult seasons with her siblings and grandmother, Judith speaks of the courage she gained through Bible reading and singing praise songs—habits she learned during her time in the program. She also learned soap‑making and hairdressing skills, which now help her contribute to her family’s income. Along with her youth group, Judith hopes to share her story to encourage other young people and inspire them to hold onto hope.
A Future Where Children Can Be Children
Every child deserves the chance to grow up safe—free from violence, forced labour, and exploitation—and with the opportunity to dream about the future. When families and communities are equipped with the right support, children are far less likely to fall prey to traffickers. World Renew will continue to prioritize gender justice initiatives in the communities where we work.
