VIS students are once again taking the lead in advocating for survivors of human trafficking through their continued partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Voluntary Trust Fund for Victims of Human Trafficking (VTF). A group of students from Grades 9 to 11 had the opportunity to visit the United Nations Information Centre (VIC) in Vienna, where they learned more about the important work the VTF does in collaboration with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) around the world.
During their visit, students gained valuable insights into how the VTF supports survivors of human trafficking by working with organisations such as the Volta Revival Foundation in Ghana, Light of Hope in Ukraine, and Blue Dragon in Vietnam. These organisations play a crucial role in providing survivors with education, counselling, healthcare, and housing, helping them rebuild their lives after enduring unimaginable hardships.
The VTF operates through donations from UN member states, corporations, and individuals, which enables these essential services to continue. Our students were deeply moved by the stories they heard from the survivors of human trafficking and are now focused on translating their learning into action. As part of their Service as Action and Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) programmes, the students are planning fundraising and advocacy initiatives to raise awareness and provide crucial financial support to these organisations.
We encourage our VIS community to stay tuned for upcoming events aimed at raising funds and promoting advocacy for the VTF. Through these initiatives, students will continue to work towards bringing about meaningful change in the fight against human trafficking. Additionally, anyone interested in supporting this cause can make individual donations through the websites of the organisations mentioned above, helping to make a tangible difference in the lives of survivors.
UN VTF site - https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/human-trafficking-fund/unvtf-donate.html
Volta - Ghana https://www.voltarevival.org/about-us
Light of hope - Ukraine https://www.lightofhope.com.ua/en/about-us
Blue dragon - Vietnam https://www.bluedragon.org