Sosa is going to Uni!

We have started this campaign to support an incredible young person in his educational journey. Having known Sosa for several years and being aware of his background we cannot overstate how proud we are of him for how far he’s come and how much he’s achieved in just a few years. From being his lawyer and colleague respectively, Sosa has become our good friend and through this campaign, we hope to be able to support his university dream!

Sosa has overcome adversity to a degree most of us cannot comprehend. Growing up in the UK’s care system he was failed at every turn - both by those who were meant to love him, and by those legally appointed to ensure his safety.

At aged 12, looking for someone to call family, Sosa fell victim to one of society’s most despicable crimes and was for years groomed and exploited by ‘elders’, who trapped him in a repetitive cycle of criminality and violence.

Aged 18, serving a 5-year sentence for firearms offences, and faced with imminent deportation to a country he barely knew, Sosa’s future was looking bleak. But then it all changed.

In 2019 Sosa was finally recognised as a victim of modern slavery, which opened the door to a new path. A path which has seen Sosa in the past two years go from strength to strength, and turning his childhood and youth trauma into experiences he uses to help others. Motivated by a burning desire to give something back and end child criminal exploitation, Sosa has tirelessly applied his tenacity, resourcefulness, intelligence and grit, and has gone from being an inmate in Feltham YOI, to a sought-after Lived Experience Advisory Panel (LEAP) consultant in a short space of time. In this role, he designs and delivers impactful modern slavery training and awareness sessions to improve the response of modern slavery first responders. He collaborates with NGOs, statutory agencies, and other relevant bodies to provide them with the necessary skills and knowledge to identify and support children who experience trauma. He has also devoted significant time to direct engagement, prevention, and intervention projects aimed at protecting children from involvement in crime and criminal exploitation. His achievements were recently recognised when he won the ‘2023 Crime Fighter of the Year' award.

Sosa now wants to take his role further and has secured a place at university studying a four year Criminology and Sociology degree, allowing him the opportunity to obtain a formal qualification in his area of expertise. Because of his immigration status he isn’t eligible for a government-funded student loan - and we are looking for your support to help with his living expenses whilst studying to give him the best possible start.

In Sosa’s words: “This degree would enhance my understanding of the root causes and consequences of criminal exploitation. It would teach me the skills and tools necessary to identify the gaps and challenges in our current systems and find new and innovative solutions to address them. By pursuing this degree, I will be able to increase my impact and bring about lasting change for vulnerable children and young people”.

Sosa is a phenomenal asset to the fight against human trafficking and modern slavery, and he deserves all the support he can get along the way. Please give generously.

Thank you,

Phil Brewer MA, Specialist Advisor on Modern Slavery at Human Trafficking Foundation and Maria Thomas, Public Law solicitor at Duncan Lewis

[nb. all information has been shared with Sosa’s consent]