STOP

STOP (stop trafficking of people) is a South African based NGO connected to Touching Africa, doing awareness in schools and tertiary institutions empowering children by placing them in a position of informed authority to protect themselves against human trafficking.

STOP was born in 2009 just before the soccer world cup in 2010 when we were informed that soccer fans go to matches for “other reasons” than just soccer. We immediately set out to find programs for primary and high school learners to inform them of the dangers of Human trafficking and to give them tools to keep themselves safe. In partnership with YWAM and Straatwerk we started presenting TrafficProof for older learners and Valuable to Jesus for the little ones which we are presently still doing all over South Africa. Programs and training have also been implemented in Zambia, Kenya and Uganda. Our program broadened as we began to realise that girls in the very rural parts of Africa cannot afford disposable sanitary wear and therefore, we needed pad packs. One of the further projects that evolved out of STOP was an exit program for ladies desiring to leave the industry of prostitution and they, having learned the skill of sewing are presently producing re-usable pad packs for the schoolgirls which get handed out after every traffic proof presentation at the rural schools to the girls (boys are asked to excuse themselves).  With the handing out of these packs, the girls get trained in self-defense, hygiene and purity (abstinence).

Ani Vileli (meaning “freedom of worries” in the Tsonga language) the skills development program for ladies exiting prostitution, is situated in the heart of the North-eastern part of South Africa in a town called Tzaneen. This project has been running since 2013 and the ladies are trained up in crocheting, sewing, gardening, chicken farming (eggs) and entrepreneurship. They produce excellent products which are sold at pop-up markets, shops and various other places.

We are looking toward partnerships through training, sponsoring and any other assistance, with organisations with  a similar vision for the soul purpose of broadening our influence in helping , protecting, and uplifting the vulnerable in our society.