You Are Not Alone: Continuing the Fight Against Labor Trafficking
At Tukole Empathy, we believe that advocacy extends beyond policy discussions—it centers fundamentally on people. It is about restoring dignity in places where systems have fallen short, and rekindling hope in stories that might otherwise have been lost to silence. The Mwagale Foundation, led by Joanita Ndagire in Uganda, continues to shine a powerful light on one of East Africa’s most painful and often overlooked crises: the forced labor trafficking of Ugandan youth—especially young women—into the Middle East. Their work brings attention to these hidden injustices and strives to create pathways to safety and recovery for those affected.
Adding heart into the mission.
A warm embrace. A tear held back. A quiet whisper of hope. It reminds every survivor, every advocate, and every supporter: You are not alone.
This is not just a campaign slogan. It's a declaration of humanity.
A Crisis Hiding in Plain Sight
Between 2020 and 2025, Uganda and its East African neighbors witnessed a dramatic increase in cases of young people trafficked to the Gulf—especially the United Arab Emirates—under false promises of jobs, only to end up exploited in conditions of forced labor.
A 2023 labor trafficking report found that 87% of Ugandan migrants surveyed in the Middle East were victims of forced labor, including construction workers, domestic helpers, and transport workers. Many had their passports confiscated, wages withheld, and their freedom restricted. Some were physically or sexually abused. Many suffered silently with no recourse.
Why?
Fraudulent recruitment agencies operating across East Africa.
A lack of enforcement of labor export regulations.
Weak victim support systems.
The structural exploitation of the kafala system in Gulf countries.
2025–2030 Advocacy Plan
Tukole Empathy has launched a comprehensive five-year advocacy strategy focused on four pillars:
1. Policy Reform & Enforcement
We’re working to push for bilateral agreements between Uganda and Gulf states that enforce contract transparency, fair wages, and recruitment oversight. Uganda must enforce its 2021 recruitment agency reforms and increase inspections.
2. Survivor Services & Reintegration
We’re supporting efforts to scale up victim shelters, trauma-informed counseling, and safe repatriation systems, including through grassroots partners like the Mwagale Foundation.
3. Awareness & Training
Tukole is launching survivor-informed campaigns to educate families, communities, and the diaspora. We’re also supporting the training of border officials, healthcare workers, and local law enforcement in trauma-informed approaches.
4. Diaspora & Survivor-Led Advocacy
We are organizing the Tukole Empathy Series—a global platform that connects survivor voices with diaspora allies and policymakers to raise awareness and build accountability.
Our goal is simple but powerful: end the silence, hold traffickers accountable, and help victims rebuild their lives.
Voices from the Ground: Joanita Ndagire & Mwagale Foundation
Joanita has been at the frontline of this crisis. The Mwagale Foundation has helped hundreds of victims of labor trafficking return home to Uganda, providing medical support, legal aid, counseling, and safe housing. But the need is overwhelming, and support is scarce.
"We meet girls at the airport who’ve been gone for years," Joanita shared. "Some come back broken. Some come back pregnant. But all of them come back needing love, support, and a second chance."
Our North Star: Empathy in Action
At Tukole Empathy, we are not just reacting to injustice—we are building a movement of compassion with structure. We believe every policy shift, every awareness campaign, every survivor supported, sends a signal to the world: humanity still exists.
Join the Movement
Advocate with us for bilateral reforms and funding for survivor services.
Support the Mwagale Foundation directly through donations and volunteerism.
Share survivor stories and amplify their voices.
Sponsor a return flight, therapy session, or shelter night for a survivor.
Challenge the silence in your community, workplace, or church.
You Are Not Alone
Whether you're a victim, a policymaker, a member of the diaspora, or a caring human being—we invite you to act. Tukole Empathy is your platform. This is your movement.
Because until every girl comes home safely,
Until every trafficker is held accountable,
Until every law protects every life—
We will not stop.
“You are not alone” is more than a campaign.
It is a call to action.
Join Tukole Empathy and give someone their second chance to life.
📩 Contact us | 🤲 Donate | 📢 Advocate | 🌍 Join the Empathy Series
