Local Oasis students join global STOP THE TRAFFIK launch from UN building in New York

Two local Oasis Academies are spearheading the call to action to support STOP THE TRAFFIK and START FREEDOM. Oasis Academy Mayfield and Oasis Academy Lord’s Hill are asking all students in all local schools to sign up and become part of a united global voice in seeking to stop human trafficking. Today, one person every minute is trafficked.

STOP THE TRAFFIK will launch their “START FREEDOM” campaign with a webcast from the United Nations building in New York on Wednesday 14th October. The webcast will appear on the website at 9am. Academies, schools, youth clubs and individuals can sign up by logging on to www.startfreedom.org. The global campaign caters specifically for young people, and students from across the range of Oasis Academies will be actively driving it forward. The live broadcast from New York will launch the campaign, which will culminate in the START FREEDOM week in March 2010.

Principal of Oasis Academy Lord’s Hill, Ian Golding said, “All of our students are horrified at the actions of some people who want to sell human beings for their own profit. They want to join this campaign which will seek to stop human trafficking, bring the traffickers to justice and protect the people who are trafficked. In addition they want to urge young people from all over this region to stand together and become a voice which will be listened to across the world.”

Head girl at Oasis Academy Lord’s Hill, Becky Wiltshire said, “It’s disgusting that these things should happen, and we know we can make a difference to people’s lives. Whoever has a conscience should get on board with this project and let us together stop the traffickers ruining the lives of those caught in this awful situation.”

United Nations special advisor on community action against trafficking, Steve Chalke, said, “It never ceases to amaze me how passionate some of our young people are when it comes to issues of conscience. Whilst the subject matter is extremely harrowing, it is great to know that the young people of the UK are motivating each other to get involved in this very serious matter, and looking together to make a difference to people’s lives.”