By Oliva Tuyishime
The Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB), in partnership with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), has continued an awareness campaign aimed at combating human trafficking in Bugesera District, particularly in Rweru Sector. RIB called on parents to build strong and trusting relationships with their children and communicate with them frequently in order to protect them from falling into the traps of human traffickers.
This was highlighted on March 16, 2026, during an awareness campaign being conducted in districts located near national borders. The campaign is guided by the theme: “Everyone’s role in preventing and combating human trafficking.”
Some residents who attended the awareness session said they learned an important lesson about paying closer attention to their children, especially young people who are often targeted by traffickers.
One resident, Mukamana Angelique, said:“We have resolved to educate our children so that no one can lure them into harmful activities or involve them in trafficking. We will continue reminding them to avoid people who promise quick money through unclear or suspicious jobs.”
Another resident, Emmanuel Munyanziza from Batima Cell in Rweru Sector, said the community plans to strengthen efforts to prevent this crime, particularly among young people who have completed school and may be vulnerable due to unemployment.
He said:“What we plan to do is encourage young people to create their own jobs instead of looking for work they are not prepared for. Many are deceived with promises of employment by people they do not even know.”
Ntirenganya Jean Claude, an officer at the Rwanda Investigation Bureau responsible for crime prevention, told participants that many Rwandan youth who fall victim to trafficking are lured through various tactics, including religious activities.
He explained:“We say this because it is real. Rwandan children and young people are being trafficked. Current data shows that the most affected group is young people between the ages of 18 and 30. However, this does not mean that older adults are completely safe from this crime.”
He added that traffickers have recently begun using religious gatherings as a method to lure victims.“Today, many people believe that religious activities such as prayer meetings and invitations to attend prayer sessions are always genuine and harmless. However, traffickers have started using these channels to deceive people. This means we must remain vigilant and understand that criminals are targeting our communities,” he said.
RIB also explained the serious consequences faced by victims of human trafficking, which include forced labor, sexual exploitation, and in some cases the illegal removal of body organs.The agency emphasized that fighting human trafficking requires cooperation between government institutions and the public in order to prevent criminals from exploiting and abusing citizens.
The Executive Secretary of Bugesera District, Joseph Nkuranga, also called for the awareness campaign to focus more on secondary schools, noting that many cases originate among students at that level.
Research conducted over the past five years (2019–2024) identified 297 individuals who were trafficked. Most victims were young people, representing 90 percent of the cases, while 10 percent were adults aged over 30. Among the youth victims, 75 percent (212 individuals) were female, while the remaining victims were male.
