The Catholic Church annually marks the Feast Day of St Josephine Bakhita on 8 February, honouring her as the patron saint patron saint of Sudan and of victims of human trafficking. This year, the commemoration fell on Sunday, 8 February 2026, and was observed across several dioceses in the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC) region with Holy Masses, prayer services, and awareness talks focusing on the scourge of human trafficking.

St Josephine Bakhita, herself a survivor of trafficking, remains a powerful symbol of faith, forgiveness, and human dignity. Kidnapped as a child in South Sudan, sold into slavery, and subjected to years of suffering, she later found freedom, embraced the Christian faith, and became a Canossian Sister in Italy. Her life story continues to inspire the Church’s global commitment to ending human trafficking and restoring dignity to victims.

Speaking to the SACBC communication office on the significance of the feast and the Church’s response, Sr Laura Llanes FDCC of Talitha Kum Malawi, who represents Talitha Kum International within the Talitha Kum Southern Africa network, reflected on the Gospel roots and mission of the movement. “Talitha Kum comes from the Gospel of Mark and means ‘Little girl, I say to you, rise up.’ It is the response of religious women to this call against human trafficking, which the late Pope Francis defined as modern-day slavery,” she said.

The member of the Congregation of the Canossian Daughters of Charity emphasised that human trafficking is not only a crime, but also a grave moral injustice. “If we do not do anything, we are guilty of the sin of oppression. Human trafficking abounds in our environment, and we are called to uphold the dignity of humanity.” She explained that Talitha Kum was established in the late 1990s by the International Union of Superiors General (UISG) and has since grown into a global network present in over 100 countries, involving more than 60 networks working together.

“In Africa, we say: If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together,” Sr Llanes said. “In combating human trafficking, we are working together as religious women and men, with our lay partners, survivors, and the youth. Survivors are the best messengers to the vulnerable, and the youth must be engaged because they are among the most at risk.”

Sr Llanes highlighted that poverty, unemployment, and inequality make the poor especially vulnerable to traffickers. Many are lured by false promises of work, education, or a better life. “Human trafficking is beset with deception and trust. Sometimes the traffickers are even members of our own families or close friends,” she said. In countries like Malawi, she explained, trafficking often takes the form of cross-border movement to South Africa, as well as internal trafficking from rural to urban areas, driven by economic desperation and lack of opportunities.

In Southern Africa, the fight against human trafficking has been strengthened through coordinated Church structures. The SACBC Migrants and Refugees and Human Trafficking Office has, over the years, conducted numerous workshops and training programmes for religious congregations and civil society organisations working in prevention, awareness, and victim support across the region. These initiatives have helped build networks of collaboration, capacity, and shared commitment to protecting vulnerable communities.

On Sunday, 8 February 2026, dioceses across the SACBC region marked the Feast of St Josephine Bakhita with liturgical celebrations and public awareness programmes, reaffirming the Church’s commitment to stand with victims and to challenge the systems that enable exploitation.

Sr Llanes concluded by recalling the profound witness of St Josephine Bakhita herself. “She was kidnapped, trafficked, and sold to slavery, yet she became a beacon of forgiveness and hope. When asked what she would do if she met those who abducted her, she said she would kneel and kiss their hands, because through them she came to know Christ. That is why she is the patron saint of victims of human trafficking and of all anti-trafficking efforts.”

As the Church commemorates her feast each year, St Josephine Bakhita continues to inspire a mission rooted in faith, compassion, and action — calling Southern Africa, and the world, to rise together and end human trafficking.