Mr. Edwin Mugambila is a human rights lawyer specializing in anti-human trafficking, child protection policy, research, and gender-based violence. 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 builds the capacity and resilience of civil aviation and hotel and lodge operators to detect, screen, and combat human trafficking. The project involves 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. The project will also cover two major international airports, Julius Nyerere International Airport and Abeid Aman Karume International Airport, with view to enhance detection, screening, and rescue of trafficking victims before departure and or after arrival.

So far, Edwin has successfully designed and printed sector-specific training manuals for the hospitality and aviation industries, focusing on human trafficking detection, identification, and reporting. These materials will equip over 70 beneficiaries in Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar with the tools to recognize and respond to human trafficking risks in their respective sectors.  

Edwin also conducted his first training, which was for 15 hotel managers in Dar es Salaam. This training specifically focused on enhancing the hotel staff’s ability to identify and report human trafficking incidents. Participants came from prominent hotels such as Seashells, Serena, and Sheraton, marking a key milestone in building sector-specific capacity to combat trafficking. The successful sessions in Dar es Salaam serve as a foundation for expanding the project to other regions in Tanzania, as Edwin will continue to host more human trafficking awareness sessions. Edwin has stated that with the dissemination of the training manuals and the training for key stakeholders, “awareness of human trafficking among key industries has significantly increased, which is critical in reducing trafficking activities in these sectors.” 

 

''By fortifying [local] hospitality and airport sectors with this proactive approach, we will safeguard the vulnerable and strengthen our nation's security across borders.” - Edwin Mugambila

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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