Our projects
SafeBorders
Strengthening Judicial expertise and Frontline support to combat Child Trafficking
Fundacja Vela is a key partner in an innovative initiative aimed to enhance the capacity of law enforcement and judicial authorities and frontline workers across EU countries to combat child trafficking and introduce AI in identifying trafficking networks across borders. Vela’s role in the project is to develop the capacity of stakeholders in Poland, while introducing the AI tool to law enforcement and judicial authorities across the EU partner countries.
Learn About SafeBorders:
Safeborders is funded under the funding line ISF-2023-TF2-AG-OC-Organised-Crime of the Internal Security Fund (ISF). SafeBorders focuses on strengthening the expertise of judicial authorities by facilitating knowledge exchange, identifying best practices, and conducting capacity-building activities. In addition, leveraging technology in the digital era, the project will introduce an AI-platform to support cross-border cooperation among judicial authorities.
This collaborative effort aims to streamline efforts, enhance information sharing, and facilitate joint actions to combat child trafficking effectively. By strengthening the capabilities of both judicial authorities and frontline workers and promoting cross-border cooperation, the project seeks to address the complexities of child trafficking and protect vulnerable children from exploitation and abuse.
One of the major outputs of the SafeBorders initiative will be the creation of specialised training programs for judicial authorities and frontline workers, including police, port officials, social workers, legal and health professionals. These programs will provide essential skills for identifying and assisting child trafficking victims, particularly those in vulnerable situations such as unaccompanied minors. The training will focus on equipping participants with trauma-informed approaches and enhancing their ability to recognise the signs of trafficking.
In addition to training efforts, the project will also establish a network of specialised prosecutors dedicated to handling human trafficking cases, with a particular emphasis on cases involving children. This network will streamline cross-border cooperation between legal professionals in countries, enabling more coordinated legal responses.
Moreover, a key technological innovation will be introduced by Fundacja Vela in the form of an AI-powered platform. This platform will support cross-border collaboration by collecting and analysing data from law enforcement and judiciary authorities, helping to identify criminal patterns and trafficking networks operating across national borders. Prosecutors and investigators will be able to use this platform to detect high-risk areas and share intelligence, thereby improving the ability to respond swiftly and effectively to emerging trafficking threats.
This new initiative marks a major step forward in the fight against child exploitation, and with the combined efforts of all partners, SafeBorders hopes to make a lasting impact on protecting children from trafficking across the region.
Objectives:
- Improve knowledge about criminal networks and child trafficking
- Icrease the capacity of law enforcement, judicial authorities and frontline professionals to respond to child trafficking
- Raise awareness about child trafficking across the EU through local and EU wide actions
- Improve the protection systems of child victims, ultimately ensuring the safety and well-being of vulnerable children in the region
- Introduce AI in the fight against child trafficking
- Promote cross-border cooperation among relevant stakeholders
Project Offering:
- Training and development
- Capacity building
- Information technology
- Security
- Cross-border collaboration
Partners and Countries
- Promoter
- Centre for European Constitutional Law
- Greece
- Website
- Partner
- Ministry of Migration and Asylum
- Greece
- Website
- Partner
- Foundation VELA
- Poland
- Website
- Partner
- IPS_Innovative Prison Systems
- Portugal
- Website
- Partner
- Saúde em Português
- Portugal
- Website
- Partner
- CESIE – European Centre of Studies and Initiatives
- Italy
- Website
- Partner
- CSD – Center for the Study of Democracy
- Bulgaria
- Website
- Partner
- Missing Children Europe | European Federation for Missing and Sexually Exploited Children
- Belgium
- Website
- Partner
- ADPARE – Association for the Development of Alternative Reintegration and Education Practices
- Romania
- Website
- Partner
- HEUNI – European Institute for Crime Prevention and Control
- Finland
- Website
Project News:
Fundacja Vela is organizing the first Stakeholders’ Meeting in Warsaw on June 30th, 2025 which will bring together the key stakeholders on child trafficking in the country. The event is addressed to judges, prosecutors, legal professionals, police and border guard, ministries, NGOs and other organisations involved in children’s rights and child trafficking in particular. The event aims to introduce stakeholders to the project objectives and activities, fostering their active participation and collaboration and start the discussion about the fight against child trafficking.
If you are interested to know more about the event, or how to become involved, please write to the Project Manager at [email protected].
Support for flood-affected areas in Lower Silesia
On September 3, 2024, severe flooding occurred in southwestern Poland due to heavy rains associated with Storm Boris. In response to this disaster, our team initiated efforts to address the immediate needs of the people in Lower Silesia. To date, we have carried out seven visits, primarily focusing on the regions between Kłodzko and Lądek Zdrój.
The assistance includes food packages, shoes for children, household items (kitchen supplies, mattresses, and hygiene products), coal for heating, and electronic equipment (washing machines, microwaves, kettles etc). Our initiatives aim to support the most vulnerable groups, including local and refugee families and individuals.
Provision of an integrated service package for children and caregivers in collective shelters
In partnership with UNICEF Refugee Response Office in Poland, we have successfully expanded our project of Mobile MHPSS Teams in Wroclaw, Krakow, and Warsaw. Beginning in January 2024, our teams, consisting of experienced psychologists, social workers, child protection officers, and outreach specialists, visit collective accommodation sites and community centers to provide support to the most vulnerable groups.
Our professionals’ primary focus is on children and their caregivers. They offer a range of activities for both groups and individuals, including educational and recreational programs for children, parenting skills workshops, and individual consultations.
These activities aim to enhance psychosocial support, facilitate the integration of individuals, and promote social behavior change (SBC) within the supported population.
Click on the flyer to download.
- How can we support you (.pdf)
Mobile MHPSS Teams
We work with teams of experienced psychologists, social workers and outreach officers who visit large scale accommodation schemes as well as smaller shelters in Warsaw.
Our professionals work with the most vulnerable population focusing on children, women and people facing psychological issues.
We run activities for groups and individuals including women’s groups, children’s groups, recreational activities for children, support on parenting skills and consultation for individuals.
Strengthening Communities
Since 2023, we have partnered and co-developed with Polish grassroots organisations and other entities in Krakow and Wroclaw, community centres supporting Ukrainian population and empowering refugees for their integration in Poland. To date, our collaborations include the Kocham Debniki Foundation, the Freedom Space Foundation, and the LWF Foundation in Poland.
Our services aim at adults and children, focusing on educational, recreational/creative activities and psychosocial support. Educational activities include Polish and English language classes for all age groups and Speaking Clubs for both languages. The recreational/creative activities include workshops for adults such as Pilates, yoga, jewelry and sewing classes and sports and crafts for children.
The psychosocial sessions are carried out by psychologists and social workers and involve individual and group sessions as well as support to access social and other public services for health or legal issues.
Moreover, our project includes daycare services for toddlers and young children as well as material support including distribution of staples, hygiene kits and clothes.
Finally, at the Freedom Embassy community center in Krakow, we operate a kitchen incubator that hosts cooking workshops, allowing participants to create their own meals. Moreover, we encourage individuals to lead their own workshops, promoting a community focused on culinary exploration and skill enhancement.
However, our collaboration with Polish organizations extends beyond community centers. In September 2024, we established a partnership with Hope Foundation in Przemyśl, focusing on enhancing the capacity of the foundation. Specifically, we have conducted training sessions on protection, child safeguarding, and operational policies and procedures for management staff and volunteers. Additionally, we have supported with essential food supplies and equipment to facilitate the effective operation of the transit shelter. Furthermore, our psychologists and social workers are conducting remote individual psychosocial support sessions for the residents of the shelter.
Click on the flyers to download.
Our Work
Donors & Supporters
Since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine we have seen a gap in meeting the needs of refugees in Poland. Our two step approach has been to empower the most vulnerable refugees in collective accommodation shelters and support the integration of urban populations through community centres.
Since July 2022 we have been offering psychosocial support services to different locations in Warsaw. We expanded our mobile PSS operation in Krakow and Wroclaw to cover the needs of refugees there as well where the operation has expanded to supporting community centres throught the city. In urban areas, we extended our support to individuals in crisis, particularly those impacted by flooding in the Lower Silesia region. This support is facilitated through the distribution of non-food items (NFIs) and mental health and psychosocial support services (MHPSS).
We are working with our partners and donors to cover these needs as efficiently as possible. We are privileged to be funded for our operations by:
Choose Love -the David & Ruth Lewis Charitable Trust -LOTIC.AI – UNICEF – Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
