Migration is a daily activity in the borderlands of West Nile where people move between Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan in search of safety, work and survival. According to the World Bank, migration pressures are growing worldwide, with 184 million people on the move globally. Most countries are simultaneously places of origin, transit and destination. The poorest tend to migrate internally because international migration is costly. These movements expose women, children and young people to human trafficking, gender-based violence, labour exploitation, illegal detention, family separation and abuse by criminal networks and corrupt officials. Limited information, poverty, language barriers and weak access to justice make migrants even more vulnerable.

Zoota works to protect migrants and promote safe and dignified mobility through legal awareness, community education and survivor-centred support. We help border communities understand their rights, recognise the risks of trafficking and exploitation and know where to seek help when violations occur. Our work places special emphasis on women, children and young people who face the highest levels of risk in cross-border movement.

In 2025, Zoota strengthened its migration and anti-trafficking work through collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) through receiving specialised training from IOM, the Ministry of Internal Affairs Migration Department and Interpol. This has built our capacity to identify trafficking risks, respond to GBV linked to migration, support survivors and engage duty-bearers more effectively at the border and within communities.

Through our work, Zoota is making cross-border movements safer, reduce exploitation and ensure that migrants are treated with dignity, safety and respect across the West Nile borderlands.