Still shot from the film “One Life, No Price” commissioned by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime about the victims of human trafficking |
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USAID and the OSCE Mission in Skopje have concluded a 3-year project that marked one of the leading initiatives in combating human trafficking in the region and established the first NGO-managed shelter for victims in Macedonia. The Residence project, funded by USAID and administered by the OSCE Mission in Skopje, was implemented by the local NGO Open Gate - La Strada. The Residence has provided direct assistance to 41 persons, and is now an integral part of the National Referral Mechanism for trafficking victims. This project was one of the most successful for USAID in Macedonia, providing victims with psycho-social support, medical assistance, vocational training, and resources to meet their basic needs. The SOS helpline for victims, established and managed by Open Gate, is the only anti-trafficking telephone service available in-country. Moreover, a mentoring partnership was developed with similar projects in the SEE region, such as Romanian “Reaching Out,” Bulgarian “La Strada,” Albanian NGO “Vatra” and Montenegrin NGO “Women Safe House.” |