BANGKOK (UCAN): Sister Marie-Agnes Suwanna Buasap of the Sisters of St. Paul de Chartres and coordinator of Talitha Kum Thailand, was conferred the “Outstanding Person Award for the Prevention and Suppression of Human Trafficking” on June 5 by Thailand’s Ministry of Social Development and Human Security for her work in nun’s efforts in curbing the human trafficking of marginalised women and children.
The award ceremony was held on Thailand’s National Anti-Human Trafficking Day.
Thailand has drawn criticism in recent years for its failure to stop trafficking routed through the country’s lucrative textile industry, seafood sectors and the sex trade.
Since 2018, Sister Buasap has concentrated on youths, establishing “Talitha Kum Kids,” training over 3,000 teachers, and strengthening the leadership of the Talitha Kum Youth Ambassadors to promote peer-led awareness, according to a report by Radio Veritas Asia.
Much of her work is done promoting the human dignity and rights of vulnerable women and girls, dedicating her vocation to women’s empowerment by leading capacity-building workshops and implementing the chili cultivation economic empowerment program.
Working among young people in the northern border areas of Thailand, her projects are acrtive in 35 different institutions providing anti-trafficking lessons impacting about 60,000 children.
Thailand’s Ministry of Social Development and Human Security also honoured faith-based and secular groups that work against human trafficking.
Stella Maris, the seafarers’ ministry of Diocese of Chanthaburi, suffragan diocese of the Archdiocese of Bangkok was also recognised.
The Talitha Kum movement is a Rome-based international network of Catholic nuns spread across 90 countries dedicated to ending human trafficking. It was founded by the International Union of Superiors General in 2009.
