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Microsoft boosts anti-trafficking campaign in RP

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MARIA ALETA O. NIEVA, abs-cbnNEWS.com | 10/11/2008 3:28 AM

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“Jennylyn” (not her real name) was only eight years old when she became a victim of human trafficking and ended up spending four years of her young life as an unpaid domestic worker serving four families in the province of Zambales.

“Nagwo-work ako bilang all-around domestic worker. Naglilinis ako, nagluluto ako at naglalaba ako para sa four families, extended families, ng four years at walang sahod,” Jennylyn told abs-cbnNEWS.com.

The youngest in the brood of five with only a single parent supporting the family, Jennylyn recalled then that a trafficker handed money to her mother and the next thing she knew, she was travelling to the province.

Abuses

At a tender age, Jennylyn said she suffered several forms of abuses while working as an all-around housemaid.

“Verbal, mental tapos muntik na akong ma-rape ng male employer ko. Wala kasi nun yung babae tapos sabi ng male employer, ko huwag daw akong magsusumbong, sandali lang naman daw. Pero umiyak ako ng umiyak, natakot siya kaya di natuloy,” recounted Jennylyn.

However, instead of hearing her out, her female employer even accused her of making up stories. Worse, the female employer resorted to physically abuse Jennylyn.

“Nagsumbong ako sa female employer ko pero hindi siya naniwala sa akin. Sinasaktan ako kasi gumagawa daw ako ng mga kwento para paghiwalayin silang dalawa,” she said.

Now 19, Jennylyn regained her self-esteem and confidently stated that she has overcome her past experiences.

Support groups

But healing would not have been that easy if not for the support of concerned groups like the Visayan Forum Foundation Inc. (VFFI)--a non-government organization working nationwide for the welfare of marginalized migrants, especially domestic workers and trafficked women and children--and Microsoft, a software, services and solutions company.

Just a month ago, Jennylyn landed her very first job as a telemarketer and encoder for Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) company.

“Very proud akong sabihin na first graduate ako ng step-UP (Stop Trafficking and Exploitation of People through Unlimited Potential),” she said.

Step-UP is a local initiative under Unlimited Potential, Microsoft’s global program which provides information technology skills training to former victims of human trafficking and underprivileged youth and adults to boost their chances of finding better jobs.

“Human trafficking continues to be a bane in today’s society. As more and more Filipinos leave the country each day to find work overseas, human trafficking continues to be one of the major issues we need to focus on,” Microsoft Philippines Managing Director Rafael Rollan said.

Rollan said that Microsoft is expanding step-UP “to make sure that there are adequate resources available to eradicate human trafficking and exploitation in the Philippines.”

Microsoft grant

Microsoft gave an additional P12 million grant to VFFI to enable it to engage more NGOs and open 10 new step-UP centers in different cities and provinces.

“The P8.9 million in cash, the intention of that is to build 10 new centers and also to help sustain the other centers. And there is also a component of about P3.4 million software grants,” Rollan said.

Since its launch two years ago, step-Up has already installed 13 Community Technology Learning Centers located in strategic places such as Manila, Lipa, Batangas, Daet, Bacolod, Lapu-lapu, Cebu, Dumaguete and Davao.

From May 2006 to June 30, 2008, the program has trained a total of 10,054 young people. Of the number, 3,318 of 33% have already gained employment while 3,500 of the graduates pursued their studies in formal, technical and vocational education.

“The story of Jennylyn, that's the testament to us that the project is working. Its not a matter of how many centers you form, how many computers you've installed, but its really how many Jennylyn's are there that we're able to help. To us that's our measure of success,” Rollan said.

A big boost

VFFI president and executive director Cecilia Flores-Oebanda, treats their partnership with Microsoft as an important relationship.

“Our partnership with Microsoft for the step-UP program has given us a huge boost in the fight against human trafficking. Through the program, we are able to see former victims rebuild their own lives, find careers, and slowly be reintegrated into society,” Oebanda said.

The program also helps in heightening social awareness about human trafficking.

“We see step-UP as a converging point for other stakeholders para ma-involve sa war against human trafficking because as of now I really believe that we need to fight the culture of migration,” she said.

Oebanda said there is still so much to do to stop traffickers who master the art of deception, fraud and exploits the victims’ vulnerabilities.

“Sana sumali ang lahat sa campaign naming war against trafficking. Because this is not only a fight of the Visayan Forum or ng Microsoft, it's really about our Filipino people. This is about life. This is about our future. This is about our people,” Oebanda said.