Mr. Edwin Mugambila is a lawyer specializing in anti-human trafficking, child protection policy, research, and violence against women. He serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Tanzania Relief Initiatives, a human trafficking watchdog. Edwin is also the Executive Director of the Tanzania Network Against Human Trafficking, a coalition of 105 member NGOs focused on addressing human trafficking through the 3Ps approach (Prevention, Protection, and Prosecution). Prior to his work in the development sector, he spent eight years as a human rights law lecturer. Throughout his work in Tanzania, Edwin has effectively coordinated efforts between government agencies, NGOs, and communities to establish formal and informal pathways for anti-trafficking in persons initiatives. 

IVLP Impact Award Project: Building Resilience of Civil Aviation and Hospitality Sectors to Detect and Respond to Human Trafficking in Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar

This project built the capacity and resilience of civil aviation and hotel and lodge operators to detect, screen, and combat human trafficking. The project involved 30 lodges and hotels, 15 from the archipelago of Zanzibar and 15 from Dar es Salaam, both major cities and main gateways for trafficking victims as both transit and destination. Additionally, Edwin provided training to 20 aviation personnel at Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA) and another 20 at Abeid Amani Karume International Airport in Zanzibar. This enabled them to enhance detection, screening, and rescue of trafficking victims before departure and after arrival. Stickers containing important anti-trafficking information were also distributed throughout the airports.

Edwin also established TIP (Trafficking in Persons) Screening Desks at hotels and airports, integrating trafficking detection protocols into daily operations. These desks serve as key intervention points for frontline workers, allowing them to assess and escalate potential trafficking cases discreetly. The effectiveness of this initiative was evident when two human trafficking cases were successfully identified and investigated at JNIA. Edwin’s initiative reached an estimated 3 million indirect beneficiaries via television, print media, radio broadcasts, and social media campaigns. Additionally, the project contributed to increased community engagement, with more trafficking cases being reported through 24/7 hotlines and child helplines.

Edwin was also a panelist for the "Combatting Trafficking in Persons" webinar, which you can read more about here.

 

''TIP is a global scourge which requires corroboration and partnership, a cross-section of stakeholders: it's our civic and moral duty to protect the most vulnerable amongst us, each of us must be his neighbor’s keeper''- Michael Battle, former US Ambassador to Tanzania during the official launch of the project in Dar es Salaam

IVLP Exchange Experience

Edwin participated in the IVLP Project Combating Trafficking in Persons III, organized by the U.S. Department of State and World Learning, in partnership with the El Paso Council for International Visitors, San Antonio Council for International Visitors, Iowa International Center, and the U.S. Department of State Office of International Visitors program branch in New York City.

Edwin’s exchange experience led to the development of his project: “This project is a direct result of the lessons learned from the Iowa Department of Public Safety and El Paso International Airport in Texas. I will also [maintain connection] with fellow IVLP colleagues from other countries to learn about their experiences in their countries.”

''I am thrilled, inspired, and moved by Iowa Department of Public Safety and El Paso International Airport’s initiatives. I am committed to implement a ''See it and Report it” approach in Tanzania's hospitality and airport sectors. I aim to create a robust framework that mitigates human trafficking risks, protects vulnerable individuals and enhances cross-border security.'' - Edwin Mugambila

U.S. Communities Visited 

Washington, DC; Des Moines, IA; New York City, NY; El Paso, TX; San Antonio, TX

Country: Tanzania

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