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Ten men…scores of harrowing tales…of slavery, of destitution, of deprivation, of clearing landmines in foreign lands — the Punjab State Legal Services Authority (PSLSA) is using them all to tell people about the pitfalls of chasing dollar dreams in alien countries.
That’s right! The Legal Services Authority has decided to use them as “brand ambassadors” to tell that the promised land is often nothing less than ‘hell’ for those who sell their lands to explore the unknown. The authority actually wants people to learn from the ‘sordid’ experience of others.
Voicing the ‘same’ thought, after going through the ‘same’ ordeal, these youth have willingly volunteered to share their experiences and motivate others not to venture abroad by illegal means through dubious travel agents. They have recently returned to their homes after undergoing hardships in Iraq.
“They are the best messengers, guides, teachers and the counsellors for those who want to go abroad. By narrating their experiences, telling them the hardships they faced, drawbacks of the shortcuts people opt for going abroad and everything that are landing them in trouble, they can create awareness and save many like them and their families from getting ruined,” PSLSA member secretary Manish Singhal told The Pioneer.
After experiencing the worst in their life — sold off like common commodities, slaving in fields to clear landmines, beaten with batons, burnt with cigarette butts, living in inhuman conditions — none of them want to venture into any such risky overseas employment ever again. “And this is the message they are going to convey to others,” he added.
For the purpose, the PSLSA is imparting them ‘basic information’ and training them in such a way that may help them in convincing others about the pitfalls of illegal immigration.
“This is something we are doing for the first time. We are turning the ‘duped’ youth into paralegal volunteers, and we believe that it will work as a booster in the campaign against human trafficking and illegal immigration,” Singhal added.
The youth are being trained at the Chandigarh Judicial Academy, Sector 43 under the supervision of the Legal Services Authority, by organising their interactions with lawyers, educators etc.
“We believe that such steps will greatly motivate all these youths to become our representatives to create awareness in their respective places of abode and help in checking the menace of human smuggling and prevent innocent youth from falling in the traps of fake travel agents,” Singhal said.
Even after going through first-hand experience, these youth are now being trained and sensitised with the help of a short films, printed literature and verbal dissemination of information too.
Besides, the authority is making them understand the nuances of the paper work involved before seeking any such foreign venture. Most importantly, each one of them was told to be a “carrier of information” for others to follow.
“The motivational talks would be of great use in convincing the youth to follow the right channels only as also to convince others to do the same,” he said.
That’s right! The Legal Services Authority has decided to use them as “brand ambassadors” to tell that the promised land is often nothing less than ‘hell’ for those who sell their lands to explore the unknown. The authority actually wants people to learn from the ‘sordid’ experience of others.
Voicing the ‘same’ thought, after going through the ‘same’ ordeal, these youth have willingly volunteered to share their experiences and motivate others not to venture abroad by illegal means through dubious travel agents. They have recently returned to their homes after undergoing hardships in Iraq.
“They are the best messengers, guides, teachers and the counsellors for those who want to go abroad. By narrating their experiences, telling them the hardships they faced, drawbacks of the shortcuts people opt for going abroad and everything that are landing them in trouble, they can create awareness and save many like them and their families from getting ruined,” PSLSA member secretary Manish Singhal told The Pioneer.
After experiencing the worst in their life — sold off like common commodities, slaving in fields to clear landmines, beaten with batons, burnt with cigarette butts, living in inhuman conditions — none of them want to venture into any such risky overseas employment ever again. “And this is the message they are going to convey to others,” he added.
For the purpose, the PSLSA is imparting them ‘basic information’ and training them in such a way that may help them in convincing others about the pitfalls of illegal immigration.
“This is something we are doing for the first time. We are turning the ‘duped’ youth into paralegal volunteers, and we believe that it will work as a booster in the campaign against human trafficking and illegal immigration,” Singhal added.
The youth are being trained at the Chandigarh Judicial Academy, Sector 43 under the supervision of the Legal Services Authority, by organising their interactions with lawyers, educators etc.
“We believe that such steps will greatly motivate all these youths to become our representatives to create awareness in their respective places of abode and help in checking the menace of human smuggling and prevent innocent youth from falling in the traps of fake travel agents,” Singhal said.
Even after going through first-hand experience, these youth are now being trained and sensitised with the help of a short films, printed literature and verbal dissemination of information too.
Besides, the authority is making them understand the nuances of the paper work involved before seeking any such foreign venture. Most importantly, each one of them was told to be a “carrier of information” for others to follow.
“The motivational talks would be of great use in convincing the youth to follow the right channels only as also to convince others to do the same,” he said.
