UWI aiding with the COVID-19 response

The University of the West Indies is providing urgently needed humanitarian relief to suspected victims of human trafficking that combines dried and canned food, basic PPE (mask and sanitiser), toiletries and infant food in order to support both adults and child victims of human trafficking and to support vulnerable people during the second national pause to reduce the spread of the coronavirus.

A project led by The UWI Youth Development Programme (YDP) in the Office of the Vice Chancellor, joined by Goddard’s Enterprises Limited (GEL) and the Caribbean Anti Human Trafficking Project (CAHT), provided some 100 persons with care packages over the course of the last week with a shipment of goods handed off to CAHT Saturday.

“We must be unified as a society in our response if we are to support the government-led effort to meet the needs of people in a timely manner”, said Michael Joseph YDP project coordinator in the office of the Vice Chancellor, “through our private and public partners we are making sure that we are able to respond in a way that is coordinated and thus more impactful.”

He continued: “We are happy the management and staff of Goddard’s Enterprises approved an allocation of goods at such short notice to support this time-critical effort and we value the work CAHT does in tracking persons in need so they can be reached and helped. Gratitude is also expressed to the Manager of Esso Black Rock, Tyrone Maycock, for an allocation of fuel to assist with the delivery of care packages.”

In expressing her thanks, Dr. Olivia Smith, Executive Director of CAHT, noted the critical need for partnership in responding to the crisis faced by victims of Human Trafficking and expressed hope for additional support.

“It is well recognised that the immediate needs of a large number of persons continue to be immense,” noted Joseph.

“The UWI CARES project provides the framework for this sort of work to continue and we want to be especially dependable to people during this time,” he said. (PR)