Talitha Kum celebrates 15th anniversary

By Sr Bernadette Mary Reis, fsp

More than 200 Talitha Kum delegates representing religious, lay, youth and survivors actively engaged in the fight against human trafficking will gather for the 2nd Talitha Kum General Assembly. This Assembly falls as this International Network of Consecrated Life Against Human Trafficking celebrates the 15thth anniversary of its creation in 2009 under the aegis of the International Union of Superiors General (UISG). Delegates will gather outside Rome, at the Fraterna Domus in Sacrofano, from May 18 to 24, 2024.

Talitha Kum's story

UISG member congregations have been involved in ministry to victims of trafficking since 1998. Their first contribution was the production of training materials by a study group formed under the Justice and Peace Commission. The materials produced were translated into approximately 11 different languages ​​and were instrumental in raising awareness of the challenge of human trafficking at the time.

Then, in 2001, the Superiors General participating in the UISG plenary in Rome committed to working together to remedy the plight of women and children victims of abuse and sexual exploitation. This led to the development of a training program and the creation of several regional networks in collaboration with what was then known as the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Various IOM sisters and members have visited various parts of the world to conduct workshops and raise awareness among sisters about the challenge of human trafficking in their own countries and around the world.

Later in 2009, UISG officially established Talitha Kum. Sisters who were being trained in different parts of the world began to network together. In the 26 years since the UISG began its involvement in human trafficking and in the 15 years of Talitha Kum's existence, many sisters have come together to put an end to this scourge.

Sister Pat Murray, Executive Secretary of the UISG, reflecting on Talitha Kum's journey, said: “We are very proud and happy with the work that has been accomplished, but we know that there is still much to be done to truly combat this scourge. the body of humanity.

Talitha Kum today

Faithful to its founding mission, Talitha Kum always engages at the local level. Sister Abby Avelino, International Coordinator of Talitha Kum explains: “The phrase ‘Talitha Kum’ refers to the transformative power of hope, compassion and mercy, defining the mission of our global network.

Member networks engage in a person- and community-centered approach that helps them connect with girls and boys, women and men trapped in human trafficking or on the path to recovery.

“When we talk about human trafficking,” Sister Abby continues, “we are referring to a complex and multidimensional reality. Tens of millions of boys and girls, men and women, are victims of human trafficking. The voice of the nuns and our collaborators supports the survivors and helps them to rise and regain their human dignity. Talitha Kum's networks of nuns and our collaborators walk alongside survivors on the path to healing as they regain a deep awareness of their inner worth as individuals and members of their families and communities.

Talitha Kum, a network of networks

Talitha Kum International has become a network of networks. It includes national, regional and continental networks. Talitha Kum's networking ability continues to grow. Its 60 networks are present on all continents in 107 countries. Recently, Talitha Kum has created sub-regional hubs, including in Asia and Africa, and in 2023, new networks have been created in Togo and Puerto Rico.

The Talitha Kum network brings together the collaboration of 5,871 active members and collaborators, including 777 congregations of religious women (115 more than in 2022), nearly 93 congregations of religious men and 48 interfaith collaborators. This network allowed Talitha Kum to reach a total of 753,392 people in 2023, an increase of 34.4% compared to 2022.

In addition to its own members and collaborators, the Talitha Kum networks have established impressive partnership relationships with Catholic organizations, NGOs, and governmental and intergovernmental organizations. In 2023, Talitha Kum Networks collaborated with 297 Catholic organizations, 219 NGOs, and 204 government and intergovernmental organizations, a cumulative increase of 14.6%.

Sisters Against Human Trafficking Award

In 2023, the first Sisters Anti-Trafficking Awards, the SATA, took place in London. Sr Mary Barron, President of the UISG, explains: “The SATAs are the annual celebration of three sisters, as representatives of their congregations and networks, who have demonstrated courage, creativity, exceptional collaboration and success in protecting their communities from human trafficking.

Talitha Kum Young Ambassadors

Youth involvement in the Talitha Kum Young Anti-Trafficking Ambassadors program began in September 2021 in Asia. This program has grown and expanded worldwide, extending to Oceania, Africa and Latin America. Last year, in Africa alone, 14,800 young people benefited from this program.

As part of their mission to be protagonists among their peers in the fight against human trafficking, young ambassadors have been participating in the Prayer Marathon on February 8 since 2022. In 2024, they debuted in St. Peter's Square and were recognized by the Pope.

Young ambassadors were also present at the Talitha Kum stand during World Youth Day in Lisbon, Portugal. Day after day, young people lined up at the Talitha Kum booth where youth ambassadors discussed with them how to get involved in anti-trafficking efforts. They were also invited to get their hands dirty with paint and put their fingerprints on a 16-metre banner reading “No to Traffic”. This banner was then given to Pope Francis as a concrete sign of the commitment of young people around the world during World Youth Day.

On January 30, Talitha Kum's young ambassadors targeted young people by inviting them to get involved in caring for victims of trafficking through its new Walk with Dignity app developed in 2023. The application invites young people to walk with their peers. As users unlock content through steps they “do,” they can also engage in efforts to eliminate human trafficking by learning how Talitha Kum accomplishes its mission. Additionally, measures contributed by app users are matched by donors who support Talitha Kum's mission.

Talitha Kum looks to the future

Talitha Kum International hopes to continue expanding its network to meet the world's great needs. In 2024, Talitha Kum looks forward to responding to requests for networking in the Pacific Islands, Angola, Congo, Cuba, Malawi, Burundi and Malaysia.