College launches war against youths trafficking in Garissa

Sophia Sheikh Omar, the college manager, at the outreach programme with students

Sophia Sheikh Omar, the college manager at the outreach programme with students.

A Garissa-based college has launched a community outreach programme to shield young people from the growing threat of human trafficking, referred to locally as Tahrib.

The practice, which involves the smuggling of youth to North Africa and beyond, has surged in recent months. Traffickers often lure victims with false promises of opportunities abroad, only to hand them over to criminal networks or militia groups.

Some families, desperate to secure a better future for their children, have reportedly sold property—only to be drawn into heartbreaking extortion schemes.

In response, the NEP College of Health Sciences has embarked on a bold initiative centred on education and empowerment. Over the weekend, the college launched a targeted outreach campaign focusing on Form 4 students in Garissa county. The programme offers career guidance, counseling and crucial information on the dangers of human trafficking.

Led by NEP College students, staff and management, the initiative aims to steer vulnerable youth toward meaningful careers in healthcare—positions where they can one day serve their own communities and avoid the traps of smugglers.

At the forefront of the campaign is Sophia Sheikh Omar, the college manager, who delivered a heartfelt address at County High School. The school has recently been grappling with the disappearance of three Form 2 students, who were later reported to have been trafficked to Libya.

“You have a bright future as nurses, doctors, and leaders in your communities,” she said. “Don’t let traffickers steal your future. Stay focused, stay safe.”

She warned students that traffickers often target vulnerable individuals with false promises of employment and prosperity, only to later demand ransoms from their families.

“We are losing our future doctors and nurses to the sea and to unsafe conditions abroad,” she said. “Families are being forced to sell everything they own in hopes of rescuing their children.”

Counseling psychologist Amina Issa also addressed the students, pointing to the lack of structured career guidance as a contributing factor.

“These young people are vulnerable after high school. They don’t know what’s next. That’s exactly when traffickers strike,” she said. “We must give them a purpose and a path.”

Phineas Mwiringi, a local teacher who accompanied his students to the event, praised the initiative. He revealed that his school had experienced similar tragedies.

“Three of our students disappeared after the holidays. We later learned they were trafficked to Libya. Their parents are devastated,” he said.

The NEP College outreach included guided tours of the campus, career talks on health-related fields, and a strong anti-trafficking message.

Human trafficking continues to affect youth from Northern and Coastal Kenya, with some victims trafficked to the Middle East, South Asia, and parts of Europe through fraudulent recruitment schemes.

According to the International Organization for Migration, the crisis is driven by a combination of poverty, limited access to education, unemployment, and weak enforcement of existing laws.

Kenya has legal mechanisms in place, including the Counter-Trafficking in Persons Act and the National Assistance Trust Fund for Victims, but enforcement and public awareness remain inconsistent.

Last week, ODM nominated MP Umulkheir Harun raised similar concerns in Parliament, calling on parents, religious leaders, and government institutions to confront the growing threat. She warned that traffickers are increasingly targeting youth from Garissa, Wajir, Mandera, and the Dadaab refugee camps.

“They are promised jobs and better lives abroad, but many end up exploited and enslaved,” she said.

NEP College says it plans to expand the outreach to more schools in the region, partnering with government and civil society actors to ensure youth are informed and empowered to make safer choices.