Project description
Poverty and the prospect of quick earnings in Europe make many Nigerian women decide to leave their country and move to Italy. Intermediaries arranging trips from Nigeria to Italy tell women that upon arrival they will have to pay off a debt of EUR 15,000; however, women are promised to be able to do so already after three months of living in the new country. Yet, after arriving in Italy, Madame (the person who works with the intermediaries and controls the women) informs the women that their debt is as much as EUR 45,000. Furthermore, it turns out that they also have to pay for rent, their place on the street, food, and bills, as a result of which their debts do not decrease and often constantly exceed 40,000 EUR.
Most – if not all – of the Nigerian prostitutes working on the streets of Asti in northern Italy are victims of sex trafficking. The toll is steadily increasing, not only in the city of Asti, but also throughout Italy and Europe.
Organisation
Project for the Integration and Welcoming of Immigrants (PIAM) is an organisation founded in 2000 by a victim of human trafficking, Princess Inyang Okokon from Nigeria, and Alberto Mossino from Italy. PIAM's activities focus on the social integration of female victims of sex trafficking, and aim to provide them with assistance in immigration issues. Since PIAM was founded, Princess and Alberto have helped over 300 women get out of prostitution and gain access to legal aid, employment, and counselling.
Project supported by the Kulczyk Foundation
The aim of the project supported by us is to promote the comprehensive integration of victims of sex trafficking by means of providing them with support in economic independence and reducing the risk of becoming a victim of trafficking again. Such a risk increases in situations of economic insecurity and joblessness, and thus gender equality measures are necessary to avoid it. In particular, it is necessary to support employment and social integration, and therefore one of the most important aspects of the project is vocational training targeted at victims of sex trafficking. The training is designed to provide beneficiaries with skills they can then use on the job market.
Each course will include sectoral language training. Language training and courses will last from 1 to 4 months and will be conducted by qualified personnel. At the end of the training, the beneficiaries will undergo 3-month internships, thanks to which they will consolidate the acquired skills. The beneficiaries of the project are 16 female victims of sex trafficking, aged 16 to 28 years.
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