Sr. Theresa Ani belongs to the Congregation of the Carmelite Missionaries and resides in her community in Lagos, Nigeria. The Carmelite Missionaries is an international group of Catholic Sisters founded in Spain in 1860 by a Discalced Carmelite, Bl. Francisco Palau y Quer.
Apart from missionary experiences, Sr. Theresa had over 10 years of experience in leadership and formation of her Congregation in the Anglophone part of Africa. By profession, she is a clinical psychologist and is currently working with Arise Foundation as Arise Nigeria Liaison: Resources. Arise Foundation is a foundation focused on combating slavery and human trafficking in some of the worst affected areas in the world. They are partnering with the Nigeria Conference of Women Religious (NCWR) in the fight against human trafficking. Sr. Theresa in her capacity as Arise staff in Nigeria and as a member of NCWR, works together with the network members of the Conference in the fight against human trafficking.
I am Sr. Theresa Ani, CM, a passionate Catholic Sister of the Congregation of the Carmelite Missionaries. As part of the incredible team at Arise Foundation and a member of the Nigeria Conference of Women Religious, I dive into the trenches of social justice. Ever heard of us? We’re the advocates fighting against slavery and human trafficking, teaming up with our partners, to tackle this monstrous issue head-on.
Within the NCWR, Sisters combating human trafficking are proudly known as the Nigeria Conference of Women Religious Against Human Trafficking (NCWRAHT). This is where I serve as a Liaison through Arise Foundation. It's not just a title; it's a mission I live and breathe.
Let me share our journey with the Nigeria Safeguarding Resource and Support Hub (RSH) - you'll want to remember that acronym. It all started with a friendly nudge from a friend who connected me with the RSH National Representative in Nigeria Oluchi Ihedoro. From there, it was like finding a guiding light. They aren't just consultants; they're magicians weaving solutions and empowerment.
The road to being trained by RSH was like an exhilarating journey - from diving into enlightening RSH webinars to filling out the RSH Ask an expert service request form, to finally, benefiting from a free safeguarding training tailored to our organisational needs. Talk about an exhilarating ride!
And let me tell you, the training itself? Mind-blowing. Led by the brilliant Mofoyeke Omole; one of RSH Nigeria's consultants, it was like drinking from a fountain of knowledge. I am happy to say that we emerged not just with newfound knowledge but armed with a safeguarding policy and a code of conduct for our network!
And what’s more - it's only the beginning. We're fired up, ready to deepen our collaboration with RSH to ensure our network is a fortress against exploitation. Our gratitude knows no bounds.
Thank you, RSH Nigeria, for being our guiding light in this crucial fight.
