In the present day you’d think that change should have occurred by now, with our grandparents envisioning 2017 as futuristic – but instead its worse than ever imagined. We constantly see new headlines everyday with the Times claiming that “The Libyan Slave Trade Has Shocked The World”, yet is it a shock? Has the enslavement of the African people’s not been a problem repeated century after century – for Africans were and continue not be slave but are enslaved. There’s a difference.

In the last 4 year alone, over 12,000 migrants have died – attempting to cross the Mediterranean in the hope of achieving victory knowing the danger that lies ahead. The million left stranded in Libya after failing to cross, turn to aggression as a means to release bottled frustrations – leading to countless rapes and murders among migrants. Escape from detention centres leads to the current issue we’re waking up to everyday – slavery. Hope seems further afield for the many stranded in ‘slave markets’ with men becoming commodities available for approx. $400 – which in the western society is the equivalent to a city break. Lawless Libya has clearly lost its way into the arms of corruption – of which many would claim has infected the whole African continent.

Clearly, not enough is being done – with the Libyan government finally beginning to rip the bandage to this humanitarian crisis, allowing for international intervention. During this time, we have been able to see the overall power and influence social media has in enforcing change.  The most recent march outside the Libyan Embassy in London, caused a stir in the media – with the support of previous petition to the UK Government calling on further talks and intervention, resulting in a substantial number of signatures. British celebrities Cara Delevigne and Naomi Campbell too publicly supported the demonstration – allowing for a ripple effect in support among public figures.

In the current climate we’re living in, which goes beyond us but includes our children, are our voices not speaking the volumes they are able to? Hope’s anthem resides within each individual, with our God given ability to cause an uproar in high places. These are our brothers and sisters, we mustn’t blow out the fire now and cause smoke but instead load more onto it to ensure it keeps burning.