Restoring Hope to a Survivor of Human Trafficking - by World Hope International

In Sierra Leone, World Hope International (WHI) brings hope in hard places.  The team at WHI’s Recovery Centre incarnates this ideal, and Christ, as they serve survivors of human trafficking and sexual violence through holistic care at both the center and in local communities.

Nissa* was once happily married with two children. During a financially difficult period, she traveled with her family to visit relatives. Her husband asked her to stay behind temporarily—but when he returned, Nissa was gone. She had been lured into a job opportunity abroad and taken to Mali, where she was forced into labor in a factory and subjected to horrific abuse. After long days of work at the factory, she worked long hours cooking, cleaning, and caring for multiple homes, with little food or rest. Nissa was sexually assaulted and also prostituted by her trafficker. Exposure to drugs and long-term trauma left her mentally unstable.

Years later, likely due to the effects of her trauma, the trafficker expelled her from his home, and she wandered the streets. The UN’s International Organization for Migration identified her as a trafficking survivor and helped repatriate her to Sierra Leone, where she was referred to WHI for care. WHI staff placed her at our Recovery Centre. There, she received counseling, psychiatric care, and medication. For over a year, Nissa was unable to talk about her experiences. Slowly, she shared enough details for WHI staff to begin tracing her family. Despite long travel to remote villages, no one recognized her—until one chief finally did.

He revealed that her husband had moved far away, believing she had died during the Ebola outbreak. With determination and faith, WHI staff helped Nissa journey through rugged terrain to the new community, trying to locate her husband. There, a deeply emotional reunion took place, after ten long years apart.

To help Nissa restart her life, WHI provided a small business startup package and continues to support her reintegration. Her community, family, and the WHI team are working together to ensure her emotional stability and long-term safety and health in her community.

*Name changed to protect survivor's identity.