On Thursday may 16th, 2024, from 6 to 7.30 pm, a webinar on “The Essential Action of Women Religious Congregations in Caring for Victims and Survivors of Human Trafficking and the Urgent Need to Support Them” shall take place.
In this webinar, the sisters will present their work with victims of trafficking, the importance of faith in giving them the strength to act, and the fact that they are often the only ones to act when the needs are overwhelming and the appropriate resources (human and material) are lacking.
The opening remarks and the moderation will be held by H.E. Dr. Michel Veuthey, Ambassador to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons of the Sovereign Order of Malta while the speakers will be:
Sister Mirjam Beike, Sister of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd, member from 2022 of the congregational Chapter of the Order in Rome as Apostolic Councilor for Germany & Albania. Representative at the UN in Geneva for the Sisters of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd. She worked 30 years with survivors of trafficking in Germany and Albania. She is a workig board member of RENATE and of the Alliance of NGOs on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice.
Sister Seli Thomas, Winner of “Sisters Anti-Trafficking Awards 2023” in London. Member of the Salesian Family from the Catechist Sisters of Mary Immaculate Help of Christians, founded on 12thDecember 1948, by Bishop Louis La Ravoire Morrow SDB in Krishnanagar, West Bengal, India. Bishop Marrow saw the necessity of educated religious women to work among the women of his diocese owing to difficulties of priests not being able to reach out to the women in their homes, so wanted a group of sisters to visit homes in towns and villages. In 1992, they became an official member of the Salesian Family. Lawyer, Thomas launched from 2010 campaigns against human trafficking and attempts to make village women self-reliant.
Sister Olivia Umoh, Catholic Sister of the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul. She is the Director of Safe-Child Advocacy (SCA), a social service institution owned by the Catholic Archdiocese of Kumasi which provides multifaceted services to support, reintegrate, and promote accessibility for children in street situations. She has over 36 years of experience in the Social Work practice.
Sister Patricia Ebegbulem, Winner of “Sisters Anti-Trafficking Awards 2023” in London. Responsible of a Shelter for Returned Victims of Trafficking, the Bakhita House in Lagos (Nigeria). Pope Benedict XVI honoured Patricia Ebegbulem SSL in 2012 with the highest Papal honour for Consecrated persons, the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice medal.
The link for registration is HERE.
