30 Days of Advocacy Against Witch-Hunts, Day 3

Today's way to help during the 30 Days of Advocacy Against Witch-Hunts: Donate!


Stepping Stones Nigeria is a UK based charity that is dedicated to helping children in the Niger Delta region.  SSN was founded by Gary Foxcroft, who was in Nigeria doing research for his master's degree.  From the SSN website:

Gary and Naomi (his wife) came across a number of children living rough on the streets, many of whom had been abandoned and abused following witchcraft accusations. Over the years, SSN has developed close relationships with a number of local child rights NGO’s who work tirelessly to protect these children and prevent the further abuse of other children in similar situations in the Niger Delta.
The scope of SSN’s work has grown steadily in recent years to a point where we are now seen as the most effective international child rights charity working in the Niger Delta. Our work saves lives and gives a voice to thousands of children in a region where few other agencies chose to operate.

Over 95% of the children on the streets of Akwa Ibom State have been stigmatised as ‘witches’ and abandoned to live on the streets by their parents. On the streets these children become vulnerable to rapists, traffickers and some have been known to become victims of ritualists who use their body parts for Juju

Stepping Stones Nigeria works with other non-governmental agencies on these goals:

• Rescue – Saving the lives of children who are at risk from serious harm
• Rehabilitation – Providing the children with healthcare, clothing, education, counselling, refuge and protection
• Reunification – Doing everything possible to reunite children with their parents, should they both wish for this to happen
• Re-orientation – Working with community members, traditional leaders, police, and government to re-orientate the way that they think about children, fight the belief in child witches and promote a greater understanding of child rights.

I've set up a fundraising page in an effort to raise funds for Stepping Stones Nigeria.  The widget is in the sidebar --->  If everyone who comes across this post, my tweets, or Facebook posts about this charity would just give $1, the amount of help we could give as a community would be amazing!!  Just a buck.  Way cheaper than today's Starbucks, right?  If you can give more, well then that's okay, too!

Read more about the witch-hunts of Africa at the following:

Blogs that have posted about 30 Days of Advocacy:

• Musings of a Pagan Hacker
• The Witch of Stitches
• Bones, Buried Treasures and Beliefs
• Lilac Wolf and Stuff

Read through all of my 30 Days of Advocacy Posts (and find out more ways to help) here.

You can find more information at:

• Witchcraft Legal Aid in Africa
• Missionaries May be Encouraging Accusations of Witchcraft (Via Christianity Today)
• Did Missionaries Trigger the Witch-Hunts (Via The Wild Hunt)
• Witchcraft and Statecraft by the Georgetown Law Journal

And while the 30 Days of Advocacy focuses on Africa, don't forget these things happen in other parts of the world as well:

• Rampant Witch Killings in Orissa District Causes Concern (India)
• Gaza Woman Murdered for Witchcraft
• Fawza Falih (Saudi Arabia)
• Haitian Cholera Epidemic Sparks Witchcraft Killings
• Tribal Woman Killed by Nephew in Witchcraft Case (India)
• Three brother's lynched, buried alive for witchcraft (Bolivia)

Have you written something for the 30 Days of Advocacy Against Witch-Hunts?  Leave a link in comments!

30 Days of Advocacy Against Witch-hunts, a campaign of  South African Pagan Rights and supported by the South African Pagan Council, Pagan Federation International, Pagan Federation England and Wales, Correllian Nativist Tradition (U.S.A. & S.A.) and Circle Sanctuary (U.S.A.).

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