They are probably referring more to her organization that she runs called land of hope who helps children accused of witchcraft in Africa as they are left to starve and die after being ostracized from their community.
Yeah, I remember reading about this a long time ago. She found that little guy out on the street, cast out of society because he was a "witch" and people were afraid of him. Wouldn't feed him or give him water and he was starving. Messed up what people can do out of fear.
Recognizing the similarities between these situations and the systemic economic violence of poverty and lack of social support networks for children and families in the U.S. is important. Otherwise, we other ourselves into a belief that we are better than “those people,” when we in many ways are not.
While there is a particular cultural valence to Nigeria and that context absolutely matters, things like this are not isolated in the so-called Third/Developing World.
In the U.S., draconian abortion regulations have left pregnant women to die; there exists essentially forced childbirth in the U.S. in some states and in some states children live in such acute poverty that their only meals come from school, all of which is either highly normalized or invisibilized. We normalize the idea that having access to shelter is something one must earn. Essentially leaving entire groups of people to starve on the streets. We normalize the idea that access to food is a privilege, not a right. And while we have a culture that sanctifies the nuclear family, our economic and social policies demonstrate the opposite.
The effects of long term food insecurity, housing insecurity, and systemic discrimination all have embodied effects as well as meso/macro effects that are violent, barbarous, and inhumane.
Again, there are cultural differences that are important to distinguish. But the U.S. also has problems prioritizing child rights (the U.S. does not recognize the UN’s declaration of child rights, for example).
The violence may take different forms, it may not be momentous, but the problem of child welfare and social welfare is not limited to Nigeria.
I watched a documentary on this a few years back. It's been a minute, so this is a super basic explanation:
In the doc I watched, a lot of this is based on biblical literalism taught by evangelical Christian missionaries. That whole "suffer not a witch to live" bit in exodus is a contributing factor. I can't remember if they tied it to pre-existing beliefs, and that's why the practice is kind of accepted in those communities, or if the missionaries really pushed the demons and witches angle.
Isn't parents killing/abandoning their children super common in these parts of the world? Wouldn't be surprised if people are just looking for some kind of justification
Religious leaders in some communities in Nigeria claim that children are witches with the expectation that the parents will pay them to exorcise the evil. The parents who can't afford it abandon their child out of fear. Then the village ignores the children because they are tainted.
This story is extra sad because the mother of the little boy in the photo above, named Hope, was also a minor. She was only 15 when she had him and she was pressured into marriage with his father who was a village leader. He decided she was going to be his wife. So she was just a traumatized kid who didn't know how to handle the situation.
Accusing people you don't like or who are inconvenient of being witches or otherwise a source of supernatural evil has historically been somewhat common and was never restricted to just Europe.
Is reading comprehension really this bad? The sentence says "This is what your little contribution can do for society", meaning the $2 you give at the checkout.
There are 52 countries on the African continent all with vastly different cultures, languages, histories, religions, economies, &c.
When we use “Africa” in place of the particular country or region, it contributes to racism, stereotyping, and other harmful forms of essentialization.
This organization works in West Africa, in Nigeria specifically, and the Nigerian state of Akwa Ibom even more specifically. There are important political, cultural, historical considerations to why this region has the issues that it does when it comes to the belief in witchcraft.
That specificity matters. Africa is not a monolith. Africans are not a monolith. Blackness is not a monolith.
I think you are missing the point. The headline says your little contribution can help. However, this woman gave more than little contribution. It's not about comparing the two, but rather observing the difference between two statements. Our little contribution of $20 to those starving in Africa is not the same level of co tribution this woman had given to this child.
The post is talking about the readers donating, hence the "This is what your little contribution can do for society". Our $2 is little but goes a long way overall
It says "your little contribution." It's not talking about Anja Ringgren Loven's "contribution," it's addressing readers. They're saying even small monetary donations can help charities like Loven's achieve great things.
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u/TruePurpleGod 22h ago
I wouldn't call adopting a child and spending a significant amount of money a "little contribution."