As part of the Youth South East Asian Leaders initiative (YSEALl) YOUnified Day of Action and in conjunction with international Day for Abolition of Slavery, Youth Against Slavery (YAS) Brunei organised a dialogue and exhibition session entitled ‘Stories of Migrants’ on 3"’ December 2016 at Kaleidoscope Studio, iCentre, Anggerek Desa.

This public event was launched by His Excellency U.S. Ambassador to Brunei, Mr. Craig Allen, who will also give remarks on the YOUnified Day of Action. The event featured a dialogue session focusing on the issues related to ‘Safe Migration and Safe Best Practices’; the panel speakers are DSP Ang Lay Bee who is currently the Head of Human Trafficking Investigation Unit under the Criminal investigation Department (CID), Royal Brunei Police Force and Awg Zulhilmi Hj Abidin, Assistant Labour Commissioner, Labour Enforcement Division, Labour Department and Lindsey Higgs, the Partnerships Officer at IOM X. This session will be moderated by Dr. Kathrina Mohd Daud, Kathrina is the Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Science as well as a lecturer in the Literature programme.

Part of the event is the ‘Stories of Migrants Journal Project’ which is aimed at encouraging conversations between participants and migrant workers by collecting 100 stories and 100 conversations through journal interviews. The stories focus on exploring stories about lifestyle, family, love, and experiences. These journals will be on display at the event's exhibition gallery. Other forms of art submissions were also received which explores the theme of safe migrations and human trafficking. Submissions include a musical video tribute to women migrant workers by Diaspora Asia Theatre Arts (DATA), poems, paintings, and art installations including a life-size replica of a house based on the story received. Ms. Jane's house was built to highlight the cost of living in Brunei through the perspective of one migrant worker interviewed. Ms. Jane, a migrant worker who has been in Brunei for many years hopes to tell her story by allowing the audience into her ‘home’. All names, photos and personal details are changed to protect her identity. The IOM X ASEAN Youth Ending Slavery Initiative is a capacity-building and enabling project for young people in ASEAN. This project aims to collectivise national youth networks and groups into a regional network of youth ambassadors pro-actively advocating for decent work and safe migration and strongly campaigning against trafficking exploitation and modern-day slavery with the goal of an ASEAN free from exploitation and trafficking.

This project hopes tp develop and increase awareness of young people on these issues and involves them in the Initiative at various levels. Therefore, ASEAN Youth Ending Slavery is the umbrella network for Youth Against Slavery Brunei (YASBrunei). YAS Brunei, one of the projects under this initiative is based in Brunei in order to promote awareness on human trafficking and modern day slavery.

The YAS Brunei Committee was launched by His Excellency U.S. Ambassador to Brunei, Mr. Craig Allen during their first Human Trafficking Exhibition on October 4, 2015 YAS Brunei’s "Stories of Migrants" program has also been supported by the U.S. Embassy in Bandar Seri Begawan. 

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