‘Stop Human Trafficking’ Calendar Released by Fr Tom Uzhunnalil
Mumbai: Fr Tom Uzhunnalil, who was for 18 months under Daesh captivity in Yemen released Anson Thomas’s “SPORTS MISSION 2018” Stop Human Trafficking Calendar on 11th December 2017 at Don Bosco, Matunga, Mumbai. Anson Thomas is a former Customs Officer and has also played Hockey for Customs Hockey team as a goalkeeper. He was awarded CNN-IBN Real Heroes Award in 2009 for women empowerment. Till date, Anson has rescued over 800 victims all over India. He has been an activist against human trafficking and this is the 3rd edition of the calendar to create awareness on Stop Human Trafficking. The 2018 calendar is in English and Hindi to reach a wider population.
Anson has taken many high profile sports personalities like Steve Waugh, Adam Gilcrist, Ian Bishop and others including Dolphy D’souza to the red light areas to be a positive role model for the children born in the brothel and also to the women. Fr Tom at the release of the calendar spoke of his experience as a captive. “What I have gone through in the knowledge that God has a mission for all of us to be witness of God’s mercy and kindness. It is unfortunate that numerous of our own Sisters are traded so badly in a way as commodities and my appeal to the people is to come forward and support this noble cause in which Anson has taken up the challenge “STOP HUMAN TRAFFICKING ‘” for the past two and half decades,” said Fr Tom.
Anson too spoke and shared the risks he had taken to rescue the victims and even beaten up but with God’s grace continued his work. He also shared that even if the girls are rescued they go through a lot of trauma and rehabilitation issues. Hence as a Sportsperson, the Calendar is to build public opinion on stopping Human Trafficking. Anson’s tagline is: “REAL MEN DON’T BUY WOMEN”
Fr Savio Silveira, Vice Provincial of Salesian Province of Mumbai,[Don Bosco], Dolphy D’Souza, Project Lead- Mumbai, Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative and others were present at the release of the calendar.