The Exodus Road’s India Country Director, Shyam Kamble, is immensely experienced in recognizing the signs of exploitation. He has personally been part of securing freedom for over 2,400 survivors of sex trafficking over the past 20 years. Now, his impact has expanded to labor trafficking as well.
Word reached Shyam about a farm near his home village. Rumors circulated that the workers were forced to labor without pay or adequate food. These men were locked on the site around the clock so that they could not leave. Although all of the workers were from India, they were far from their homes.
Often, Shyam leads investigations into cases across India, requiring extensive travel to be resolved. But in this case, the exploitation was happening right in his neighborhood.
He contacted his closest local police partners, letting them know about what was happening in his neighborhood. Law enforcement showed up at the site, where they were able to demand that the farm owner pay restitution to the three men. The Exodus Road covered the cost of travel to transport the men safely back to their families.
Often, Shyam leads investigations into cases across India, requiring extensive travel to be resolved. But in this case, the exploitation was happening right in his neighborhood. (Image representative.)
This moment is a milestone, representing The Exodus Road’s first labor trafficking case in India. It was made possible by Shyam’s vigilance: not just as an anti-trafficking professional, but as a good neighbor who stayed attuned to what was happening in the community around him. Every one of us can make that kind of impact by educating ourselves about the signs of trafficking and knowing how to report.
