Liberia: World Hope International Trains Security Officers, Local Authorities to Combat Organ Trafficking and Child Sacrifice in Nimba

Saclepea City, Nimba County — World Hope International, a Christian nonprofit organization, has concluded a two-day training workshop aimed at combating organ trafficking and child sacrifice in Nimba County.

The training brought together more than 20 participants, including officers of the Liberia National Police, Liberia Immigration Service (LIS), community watch forum members, and traditional leaders, to enhance their capacity to prevent and respond to these serious crimes.

Madam Princess M. Taire, World Hope International’s Social Protection Manager, said the workshop was designed to empower state and community actors to take active roles in fighting organ trafficking and child sacrifice.

“This training will enable participants to collaborate effectively in combating organ trafficking and child sacrifice,” Madam Taire told reporters.

She reaffirmed the organization’s broader commitment to creating a safe and protective environment for vulnerable children and families. According to her, World Hope International is working with local partners to strengthen prevention strategies and response mechanisms.

“We are focusing on diverse interventions, including improving legal frameworks and accountability, expanding social services, encouraging behavior change, and bolstering support systems for survivors,” she added.

The participants included paramount and clan chiefs, religious and youth leaders, teachers, and local security personnel. Madam Taire noted that engaging such a diverse group fosters coordination, trust, and collaboration among traditional authorities, security agencies, and faith-based institutions.

At the end of the workshop, participants committed to establishing referral pathways and response plans for cases of organ trafficking and child sacrifice. They also pledged to increase public awareness and advocate for stronger law enforcement to eradicate these practices.

Project Overview

In 2023, World Hope International launched a project to raise public awareness and strengthen community responses to organ trafficking — a devastating form of human trafficking affecting men, women, and children in Liberia and Sierra Leone.

The initiative promotes education and prevention strategies to address organ trafficking and child sacrifice, which often stem from poverty, harmful beliefs, and weak justice systems.

Risk Factors Highlighted

During the training, facilitators identified several factors fueling organ trafficking and ritual practices including harmful Beliefs and Witchcraft Practices: Accusations of witchcraft against children and vulnerable people often lead to abuse, mutilation, or ritual killings, especially during periods of social or political unrest.

Poverty: Economic hardship makes families more vulnerable to deceit and exploitation, while resource constraints weaken enforcement and victim protection.

Weak Justice System: Delays in investigations, corruption, and limited judicial capacity hinder victims’ access to justice.

Trafficking Networks: Organized groups lure victims with false promises of better lives, leading to exploitation and possible ritual abuse.

Madam Taire explained that human trafficking involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to compel victims into labor, sexual exploitation, or other services against their will — emphasizing that such victims are never willing participants.

The training also emphasized survivor-centered protection, the “do no harm” principle, and the importance of safeguarding the physical and psychosocial well-being of victims, especially children.

Impact and Feedback

Superintendent Emmanuel W. Gruasie, of Nimba County’s Crime Services Division and one of the facilitators, lauded World Hope International for organizing the training. He urged participants to apply their new skills to make their communities safer.

Several participants described the training as “eye-opening.”

Rev. Edward D. Tuah of the United Liberia Inland Church, Charlotte Marmon Tawoe of the Women and Children Protection Unit at Bahn Police Station, Deputy Labor Commissioner Sam Nappah Weh, and Clan Chief George Grawor of Gbao Chiefdom pledged to become advocates and educators in their respective communities.

They vowed to raise awareness about human and organ trafficking and their devastating impact on vulnerable populations in rural Nimba.

About World Hope International

Founded in 1996 by Dr. Jo Anne Lyon, World Hope International is a Christian relief and development organization dedicated to empowering vulnerable children, women, and families. The organization operates in 17 countries, including Liberia, Sierra Leone, the Philippines, and Cambodia, and established its Liberia office in 1999.

In Liberia, its programs focus on Health, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Child Sponsorship, and Child Protection — all geared toward building community resilience and supporting sustainable development.

The training marks a significant step forward in strengthening community and institutional capacity to confront and ultimately eliminate the scourge of organ trafficking and child sacrifice in rural Nimba County.

By FrontPageAfrica.