Nepal (MNN) — The Nepal-India border is one of the busiest human trafficking gateways in the world. After a disaster in Nepal, traffickers take advantage of the chaos to target vulnerable survivors.
In the wake of a major earthquake in 2015, Nepal saw a human trafficking spike. Chitry with A3 says this could happen again after a 6.4-magnitude earthquake in western Nepal earlier this month that destroyed 34,000 homes and killed 157 people.
“There is a possibility at this time many young girls can be trafficked to the China area or India area because people have nothing there to eat,” Chitry says.
“People can be trafficked in the labor camp or some other red light area. Young girls can be taken there. In this kind of situation, many girls actually are taken to India. But even men now are taken to India in the labor camp and never come back.”
Aftermath of the earthquake in Nepal, November 2023. (Photo courtesy of A3)
A3 alumni recently traveled to these remote villages in western Nepal with food, warm blankets, clothing, and tents — all in Christ’s name.
Emergency aid may be the only thing standing between quake survivors and traffickers preying on desperation.
“The government is trying their best to help them but they can’t be available to every area,” Chitry says. “So other Christian organizations and NGOs should go there and help the people there in the area.”
Ask the Lord to protect vulnerable men, women, and children in quake areas from those who would exploit their situation. Pray that the Nepalese people would put their trust in Jesus!
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Header photo courtesy of Pranish Shrestha/Unsplash.
