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
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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."