From March to May, ASTRA’s peer educators held 12 workshops on the topic of human trafficking, contributing to a better understanding of this phenomenon and providing preventive information. The workshops were aimed at primary and secondary school students in various cities across Serbia.
The schools visited by the educators included educational institutions in Belgrade (Pharmaceutical-Physiotherapy School, School for Textile Design, Secondary School of Tourism), Ivanje (Elementary School “Bosko Buha”), Prijepolje (Prijepolje Gymnasium, Elementary School “Dušan Tomasevic Cirko”, Velika Zupa), Nova Varos (Elementary School “Zivko Ljujic”), Kragujevac (Polytechnic School, Trade and Catering School “Toza Dragovic”), Zrenjanin (Electrical and Construction School “Nikola Tesla”), Priboj (Priboj Gymnasium), and Novi Sad (Secondary Mechanical School).
A total of 316 students attended the workshops, including 155 girls and 161 boys. Observations after the workshops revealed high levels of interest and motivation among the students, along with an encouraging atmosphere that allowed them to freely express their opinions and views. Educators also praised the students’ knowledge of the risks of human trafficking and their familiarity with various digital tools that can be used for preventive purposes to identify risky situations.
The workshops not only attracted the attention of the students but also the media, with one workshop covered by local television and aired as a segment on Television Forum.
The project “Peer Support in Schools: Active Against Human Trafficking” is supported by the U.S. Embassy through the Small Grants Program.