Sixty-nine Liberians, including several children, have been safely repatriated from Mali after being abandoned by human traffickers who had lured them with false promises of reaching Europe.
The repatriation marks the successful culmination of a coordinated rescue operation involving the Government of Liberia, the Child Protection Network of Liberia (CPNL), and Kyne’s Hands Foundation.
The Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection (MoGCSP) led the official reception of the returnees and is now overseeing their reunification with their families across Liberia.
Deputy Minister for Children and Social Protection, Garmai S. Tokpah, shared that the Ministry had been alerted several weeks ago by the CPNL about the dire conditions faced by the stranded Liberians.
She emphasized the deceptive tactics used by traffickers who promised better lives abroad, only to abandon them in a foreign land.
“They were deceived with hopes of a better life abroad, only to be abandoned in a foreign land,” Minister Tokpah said.
“Upon their return, the Ministry welcomed them, and reunification is ongoing, especially for those from remote areas like Grand Cape Mount County.”
She also expressed gratitude toward Kyne’s Hands Foundation, which provided essential logistical and financial support during the final stages of the rescue and family reintegration process.
CPNL Chairperson Keifala Kromah confirmed that the group returned home on March 20, 2025.
He detailed that the victims had been deceived by individuals posing as travel agents, leading them to unsafe and degrading conditions in Mali.
The alert regarding the stranded Liberians was first raised by the Malian Child Protection Network (MCPN), a partner organization to CPNL under the West African Network for Children Separated and, on the Move, (WAN).
MCPN worked in close coordination with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), which assisted with the group’s stay and repatriation from Mali.
However, due to funding limitations, IOM was unable to support the local reunification efforts.
In response, CPNL and the Ministry of Gender stepped in, with Kyne’s Hands Foundation contributing vital resources.
Kromah acknowledged that Kyne’s Hands Foundation played a critical role in the operation, particularly in facilitating the transport of 13 children and a widowed mother back to their community.
“The Ministry has taken the lead in the reunification, and Kyne’s Hands Foundation has covered the costs needed to ensure these children find their way home safely,” he said.
The Country Director of Kyne’s Hands Foundation, Varney A. Sheriff, reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to supporting vulnerable children.
“When the Child Protection Network reached out, we didn’t hesitate,” Sheriff said. “We immediately made L$20,000 available to cover transportation costs and are also providing school supplies, clothes, and support to reintegrate the children into their communities.”
Kyne’s Hands Foundation, whose motto is “We are where children are,” pledged to continue monitoring the welfare of the children and ensuring they receive the care and protection guaranteed under the Liberian Constitution.
The Foundation’s donation was formally handed over to the Ministry of Gender during a ceremony at the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Ministerial Complex in Congo Town, with officials from both Kyne’s Hands Foundation and the Child Protection Network in attendance.
69 Repatriated From Mali After Trafficking Ordeal
