Over 30 religious sisters from Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, and South Africa have gathered at the Padre Pio Retreat and Conference Centre for a regional formation training on human trafficking, organized by Talitha Kum International.

The five-day workshop, from October 12 to 17, brings together members of consecrated life to strengthen collaboration in the fight against human trafficking—a “painful wound in our societies,” as described by the International Coordinator of Talitha Kum.

In her opening address, Sr. Abby Avelino, a member of the Maryknoll Sisters of Saint Dominic (MM), thanked Sr. Jane Frances Mohlala SCP, the National Coordinator of Talitha Kum South Africa, and her team for organizing the gathering in collaboration with the Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference (SACBC).

Welcoming delegates from across the region, she said their presence is “a sign of our shared regional solidarity — a reminder that trafficking has no borders, and that our mission of compassion and justice must also be cross-border, intercultural, and deeply collaborative.”

Reflecting on the theme, “Consecrated Life on Mission Against Human Trafficking,” Sr. Avelino MM reminded participants that consecrated life is a prophetic witness to God’s compassion. “We are sent on mission to defend life, restore dignity, and proclaim freedom to the captives,” she said.

Talitha Kum: A Global Network of Faith and Action

Founded in 2009 by the International Union of Superiors General (UISG), Talitha Kum now operates in over 100 countries with more than 6,000 members, including sisters, priests, lay partners, young people, and survivors. The network promotes prevention, protection, healing, and advocacy — a holistic mission deeply rooted in Gospel compassion and the Church’s social teaching.

“Our mission,” Sr. Avelino MM explained, “is rooted in relationship and presence — accompanying the vulnerable, walking with survivors, and confronting the structures that enable human trafficking.”

Consecrated Life as Prophetic Witness

Addressing the participants — mostly members of religious congregations — Sr. Avelino MM reflected on how the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience can become concrete acts of resistance against exploitation.

“Poverty,” she said, “calls us to solidarity with the poor, to address the economic injustices that make people vulnerable. Chastity invites us to build respectful, life-giving relationships that honor human dignity. Obedience leads us to listen attentively to God’s cry in the cries of the trafficked and exploited.”

“When we live these vows with courage and compassion,” she added, “our consecrated life becomes a witness of liberation — a sign that God’s love is alive in the midst of suffering.”

Strengthening the Network in Southern Africa

Sr. Avelino MM commended the ongoing efforts of Talitha Kum South Africa and its national coordinator Sr. Mohlala SCP, as well as Sr. Neide Lamperti MSCS , the coordinator of the SACBC’s Migrants, Refugees and Human Trafficking Office, for their leadership in organizing the formation. She encouraged greater regional collaboration among the four participating countries, noting that trafficking knows no borders.

“Every person, every congregation, every partner adds strength to this web of compassion and action,” she said. “When we connect and collaborate, we become more powerful in resisting the forces that profit from exploitation.”

Formation as a Space of Communion and Action

The week-long training is designed as both a space of learning and a moment of communion — combining theological reflection with practical strategies. Participants will engage with experts in human rights, security, and psychosocial support, as well as survivors’ testimonies.

“This formation,” Sr. Avelino MM emphasized, “is not only about learning tools — it is a sacred time to renew our commitment and to dream together of a future where every person can live in freedom and dignity.”

She outlined three goals for the gathering:

• A Platform for Learning: to deepen understanding of human trafficking and its systemic roots.
• A Space of Solidarity: to nurture relationships and strengthen the Talitha Kum network.
• A Call to Action: to renew personal and communal commitment to advocacy and accompaniment.

“Rise Up in Hope and Mission”

Concluding her address, Sr. Avelino MM called participants to embody the hope and courage that define the Talitha Kum mission.

“The words of Jesus — ‘Talitha kum, little girl, I say to you, rise up’ — are a call to all of us.
Let us rise together, bring hope where there is despair, and embody God’s compassion in a wounded world.”

She expressed gratitude to all who made the gathering possible and urged the sisters to carry forward the spirit of collaboration and mission. “The Church’s response to human trafficking must be one of compassion, courage, and coordinated action. Together, as one Talitha Kum family, we can transform this wound into a place of healing.”