National High School Hosts HAPSTA/CRARN Science Education Promotion Team

Humanist Association for Peace and Social Tolerance Advancement (HAPSTA) and its partner, Child’s Rights and Rehabilitation Network, Eket continues to promote humanist and science education in the child-witch endemic areas of Akwa Ibom state as her members and staff visited National High School Etebi, Esit Eket on Monday 20th May 2013. The aim of the visit is to promote science and humanist education among the pupils so that they will serve as change agents in checkmating superstitious beliefs and practices.

The students were taught the principles, importance and relevance of science education that are vital in the campaign to eradicate child-witch stigmatisation. HAPSTA resource persons made the pupils to understand the evils of superstitious beliefs and obsolete taboos; and hence, encouraged the pupils to embrace and imbibe scientific and rational thinking that are antidotes to the humiliating cultural beliefs and practices. They were encouraged to in turn enlighten their parents and guardians on the need to embrace scientific worldview and reject superstitious beliefs and practices. The organisation distributed free advocacy materials such as branded T-shirts, hand bands, books and pens to the pupils who participated.

The Principal of the school, Mr. Effiong Asuquo Ekong on behalf of the pupils and the school thanked the members of the organisation for their efforts in attempt to rescue the state from destructive superstitions and belief in witchcraft. He especially thanked the organisation for making his school a beneficiary of the project.

At the end of the programme, ten pupils were selected as HSEP Ambassador (Humanist and Science Education Promotion), while project t-shirts and handbands were given to the students.

Esit-Eket Town-Hall Meeting, another Huge Success

There were indications that we are winning the war against superstitions and belief in witchcraft as a large turn-out, enthusiastic volunteers and encouraging responses from the participants underscore the success recorded at the Esit Eket Advocacy. The advocacy meeting held on Tuesday 21st May 2013 at Abighi Okpono Town Hall, Uquo, Esit Eket had an unprecedented 105 registered participants in attendance, even as 13 enlightened participants enlisted as volunteers at the end of the meeting.

The various informed responses from the town people in attendance after the presentation titled “Support Efforts to Eradicate Childwitch Belief, Witch-Hunting, Abuse and Stigmatisation” indicates that considerable progress had been made in the campaign against child-witch stigmatisation in Akwa Ibom state. For instance, Hon. Eng. Edet Upkong explained that the effort of the organisation had yielded fruits in the area but he however pleaded with the organisation not to rest on her oars in the effort to rid the state of the menace by fighting the antics of the pastors whom through their prophesies accuse and label children as witches.

In attendance at the meeting were Secretary Esit Eket Traditional Rulers Council, Chief Alan Kelvin; Esit Eket Women Leader, Chief Mrs. Asuquo Uwana-Etebi; Hon. Edet Upkong among other notable men and women. Chief Alan Kelvin in his closing remark promised that the people of Esit Eket will continue to support the effort of the organisation in her bid to make life better for the children of the state.

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.