HAPSTA/CRARN rebuilds a dilapitated House of Reconciled Alleged Childwitches

One of the factors that has led to stigmatisation is the depreciated standard of living of families of aleged child witches; hence to forestall further escalation of the stigma the alleged childwwitches have lived with, the HAPSTA SCRIP team through their volunteers renovated a dilapitated building housing two alleged witches and their mum.

The Building before renovation

Expressing her appreciation, the mum of the children thanked the team and their supportters, most especially HAMU, NOrway and Swedish Humanist Aid for their supports.



The building during the rebuilding

HAPSTA on its part thanked the staff, CRARN volunteer Anja, and the alert committee members who supported and volunteered during the renovation.

We are grateful!

 

HAPSTA Visits Reconciled Alleged Childwitches

In continued efforts to make life comfortable for the Akwa Ibom children that are victims of witch stigmatization and in preparation for our annual ‘Reunion’ 2013, HAPSTA/CRARN team during the week (22-26 April,2013) visited 5 families who have received their stigmatized children back into the family (between 2010 and 2012). During the visits, books and pens were donated to the children as well as various sums of money to make life better for the families.

HAPSTA/CRARN staff with the visited reconciled Children, their mum and a Danish Volunteer, Anja

Five families were visited during the week in various locations in the state and of particular interest is the case of Sunday Joe sisters - Utiton; 10 years and Mkpoikanke; 4 years, who were reconciled in 2011 with their mother after their ordeal as victims of witch stigmatization. The sisters were discovered to be living with their mother in a dilapidated old building ‘let out’ (even though freely offered might be most appropriate) to them by a Good Samaritan. Concerned by their condition, HAPSTA decided to rebuild and renovate the fallen part of the building to in modern style/fashion. Having employed needed builders, HAPSTA and CRARN members volunteered and were involved in the manual labour required for the construction and renovation. In two days, remarkable progress was made as the house is standing now just waiting to be dried before further work resume on it.

HAPSTA/CRARN Staff, the visited reconciled alleged childwitches and a Volunteer, Anja

Stella Okon Tommy, a 14 year old pupil of Eket Modern High School was visited at her home in Esit Eket where she lives with her father and other family members. Stella and her family were happy that HAPSTA intervened in her case as she had been living happily since she was reunified with her family. Also at Esit Eket, a 12 year old Abigael Etim Ayekan was visited. Abigael lives with her grandmother. Due to HAPSTA/CRARN efforts, Abigael who is now a primary six pupil is preparing to write the entrance examination to the high school. All evidence show that Abigael and her grandmother are happy together and she is doing well in her studies.

The team is particularly happy with Jane Ikpe Essien’s situation as she is doing excellently in her studies. Jane, a Junior Secondary School 3 student is one of the best three students in her school. There are testimonies that Jane and her mother are living very well.

The Abasinbong brothers – Emmediong and Emmamoh 15 and 12 years respectively live now with their uncle in Uquo. The brothers were particularly happy to receive the members of the organisation that rescued them and gave them a renewed life. HAPSTA donated School locker and uniforms to the brothers among other materials.

HAPSTA/CRARN host another successful town-hall meeting in Nsit Ubium

HAPSTA, with CRARN, today, Thursday 14th March, 2013 successfully organised an enlightenment meeting in Nsit Ubium to sensitise the people, the community, on the danger of maltreatment and rejection of their children and wards as a result of witchcraft labeling and stigmatisation.

Bassey, HAPSTA Program Officer, =welcoming participants

 At the meeting held at the palace of the Clan Head of Ubium, Chief Elebom Okon U. Akpan, the organisation told the participants that the accusation, stigmatisation and rejection of their children as witches may further predispose their wards to social vices such as rape, pilfering, thuggery, prostitution, and drug use and abuse. According to Mr. Ayobami Ojedokun, the Project Centre Manager of the organisation, the rejection of children (accused and stigmatised as witches) could make them vulnerable to the kidnappers who are on the prowl in the area for some time now. He explained that most of the stigmatised children are abandoned on the street making them vulnerable prey for the kidnappers.

Cross section of participants with the Clan Head

The organisation which had been working in conjunction with Child’s Right and Rehabilitation Network (CRARN) to promote humanist and science education and to eradicate childwitch stigmatisation in Akwa Ibom State since 2008 said that their experiences in dealing with stigmatised childwitches and the abusers make the meeting necessary at this time to further remind the people to be vigilant and raise alarm once stigmatization is suspected.

The new Alerts Committee Team, Nsit Ubium

It is also learnt that there are about three cases of kidnapped children in Nsit Ubium area in the last one week, two were traceable to witchcraft and ritual cases.

HAPSTA SCRIP is funded by HAMU, Norway

10 REASONS WHY DR. (MRS.) O. S. SALLAM SHOULD BE SACKED

For her role in the stigmatisation, humiliation and expulsion of a 10 year old pupil of her school, the following are reasons that Dr. (Mrs.) O. S. Sallam, the Principal of Federal Government Girls College Ipetumodu, Osun State should be sacked:

• stigmatisation of the 10 year old child;
•  violation of the child’s right to freedom from discrimination. The Child’s Right Act states that “a child shall not be subjected to any form of discrimination” but the principal violated this provision and discriminated against the victim;
•  violation of the child’s right for the dignity of person as the child was subjected to torture and inhuman, degrading treatment;
•  violation of the child’s right to education;
•  blind irrationality. The principal acted irrationally as there was no evidence (except a mere dream) that warrant the labeling, stigmatisation and expulsion of the child from the school;
• flagrant disrespect of law and court order;
• the principal failed to give protection and care necessary for the victim’s well-being despite being an in loco parentis;
•  the principal is administering the school undemocratically. She became a dictator through suppression of democratic ethos by violating the victim’s right to fair hearing and equal treatment, and unilateral expulsion of the child from the school;
•  the Child’s Right Act states that “in every action concerning a child, whether undertaken by an individual, public or private body, institutions or service, court of law, or administrative or legislative authority, the best interest of the child shall be primary consideration”. The principal did not consider at all the victim’s interest in the matter; and
• gross incompetency. The principal had shown that she is grossly incompetent in her duty as the head of the school.