IOM, USAID donate laptops to Tobago's health, wellness Division

The Division of Health, Wellness and Social Protection (DHWSP) received a donation of 15 laptops from the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in Trinidad and Tobago, through funding from the United States Agency for International Development Mission for Eastern and Southern Caribbean (USAID/ESC). The handover ceremony was held on September 15 at the Division’s head office.

The donation was made possible through IOM-TT’s Heal, Empower, Rise - Counter Trafficking in Persons (HER CTIP) project, designed to strengthen protection and support services to survivors of trafficking. It aims to expand the availability and improve the quality of treatment, care and support to survivors.

Secretary of Health, Wellness and Social Protection Dr Faith BYisrael expressed gratitude for the donation and the opportunity to partner with the organisations.

She said, “There are two community residences under the Division that treat with vulnerable children and this was an opportunity to help provide what is absolutely necessary at these two locations.”

Jewel Ali, Head of Office IOM-TT, said, “The organisation continues to affirm and advocate for addressing trafficking of persons in a holistic manner which we’ve been doing for the past 30 years. This requires comprehensive approaches and strong and strategic partnerships.”

She encouraged those present to place greater focus on the protection and assistance to victims of trafficking. Ali said other donations

will follow, such as vocational, counselling and medical items, as well as capacity strengthening.

The IOM was in Tobago throughout the week conducting training on Trafficking in Persons with counsellors and social workers from the Division and other stakeholders, including law enforcement officials. The sessions included migration, counter-trafficking, and psycho-social management, all designed to improve the services provided to DHWSP clients and other organisations that interact with victims of trafficking and the migrant population.