IOM's Southern African Counter-Trafficking Assistance Programme
(SACTAP), is releasing an exciting new serial thriller, Dealers,
this week to radio stations throughout Zambia. Produced by
Johannesburg-based CMFD (Community Media for Development)
Productions, the radio drama weaves trafficking and migration
issues into an action-packed storyline, creating a series that is
as entertaining as it is informative.

Dealers, a 13-part drama which features haunting music performed
by Zambian singing sensation Lilian Tembo, and a cast that includes
a multitude of stars, tells the story of a family of women traders
who inadvertently get caught up in a mafia scandal and an
underground human trafficking ring.

"An action-packed drama with a bit of humour will make people
listen," says Deborah Walter of CMFD. "Informing people that it
could happen to them can help prevent human trafficking and the
devastating consequences for individuals and their families."

"We hope that this dynamic series, produced as part of IOM's
regional counter-trafficking work, will help prevent vulnerable
people from falling victim to traffickers and to encourage those
who are victims to seek assistance. In Zambia, they can do that by
calling a toll free help line number – 990 – 24 hours a
day, seven days a week," says Elizabeth Barnhart, IOM's Migration
Health and Counter Trafficking Manager in Lusaka.

Zambia is both a source and transit country for human
traffickers, with victims ending up in countries such as South
Africa, Malawi, and in Europe. Lured by false promises of jobs or
education, victims are sold into slave-like conditions. Women and
children are the most vulnerable, often being forced into
prostitution. 

The airing of Dealers dovetails with the Zambian government's
launch of an Anti-trafficking National Campaign to ‘Break the
Chain' of Human Trafficking on 5th June. The launch will be
officiated by Zambia's Minister of Home Affairs, Lieutenant General
Ronnie Shikapwasha and will serve as a platform for promoting the
drama.

IOM also has a toll-free help line in South Africa,
0800-555-999, for people to call for information or help.

Mozambique will be the next country to get Dealers. The drama
has been adapted and recorded in Portuguese and will begin airing
in Mozambique in the coming months with the title "Troco".

For more information, please contact:

Karen Blackman

IOM Pretoria

Tel:  +27 (0)12- 342 – 2789

E-mail: "mailto:kblackman@iom.int">kblackman@iom.int

or

Elizabeth Barnhart

IOM Lusaka

Tel: +260 211 254 055

E-mail: "mailto:ebarnhart@iom.int">ebarnhart@iom.int 

or

Deborah Walter

CMFD Productions

Tel: +27 (0)73 132 7032

E-mail: "mailto:info@cmfd.org">info@cmfd.org

Photos are available on request. You can also visit "paragraph-link-no-underline" href="http://www.dealersradio.org/"
target="_blank" title="">http://www.dealersradio.org/