Justice for survivors of trafficking

Image © Human Trafficking Legal Center

Evelyn Chumbow, advocacy and survivor leadership director of the Human Trafficking Legal Center, had a dream. As a survivor of forced child labour in the United States, she understood that trafficking survivors could become leaders in the movement. They just needed opportunity – and investment.

In Evelyn’s words, “Being a survivor means resilience, means [being] powerful.” Evelyn used her own power – and her leadership position at the Human Trafficking Legal Center (HTLC), an American not-for-profit organisation that works to give trafficking survivors access to pro bono legal representation – to make her dream a reality. Earlier this year, Evelyn and her colleagues launched the Harriet Tubman Fellowship to support labour-trafficking survivors who aspire to become leaders in their communities.

Evelyn first dreamt up the idea for the Harriet Tubman Fellowship 10 years ago, which, as its name suggests, is inspired by Harriet Tubman, the courageous American abolitionist who helped more than 300 people escape from slavery in the US in the 1800s. Evelyn wanted to provide meaningful opportunities for survivors of trafficking, to help them become economically independent, and to develop their careers and dreams.

The Harriet Tubman Fellowship programme grew out of an idea that came from Evelyn’s own experience as a survivor, as she was trafficked to the US from Cameroon as a young child, and spent her childhood and teenage years in the US as a victim of domestic servitude. With support from a pro bono lawyer, Evelyn courageously testified against her trafficker in the criminal trial. Her trafficker went to prison. Evelyn is clear about the impact of pro bono legal support on her life. “If I hadn’t had a pro bono lawyer, I don’t think I’d have been able to go through with the court case,” she says.

Evelyn’s personal experience showed her that survivors have wisdom and expertise, but often lack the professional skills to translate that expertise into a professional career. The Harriet Tubman Fellowship is intended to help fill those gaps – it aims to equip survivors of forced labour with the skills they need to take up leadership roles in the not-for-profit, private, and public sectors. As Martina Vandenberg, president and founder of HTLC says, “The world we are fighting for is a world where the survivors have voices, and the survivors have power.”

The two-year-long fellowship supports trafficking survivors as they build their leadership and professional skills. This includes mentoring and career development opportunities, as well as financial support. The ultimate goal is to empower survivors to become the leaders of tomorrow, helping them assume senior positions in anti-trafficking and other not-for-profit organisations.

The fellowship launched this year, and from May 2024, Evelyn has been working with the Harriet Tubman Fellowship’s inaugural class, made up of seven labour-trafficking survivors. Harriet Tubman’s legendary motto was “Keep going”. And that is exactly what Evelyn and the Harriet Tubman Fellows are doing.

Oak Foundation supports the Human Trafficking Legal Center, which seeks justice for survivors of human trafficking through our Issues Affecting Women Programme, which supports women’s efforts to build, lead, and grow strong, vibrant, and influential movements that work towards achieving equity and justice. Check out this link to find out more about the Harriet Tubman Fellowship. Watch the video below to find out more about Evelyn’s story and the incredible work of the Human Trafficking Legal Center.