Last week we blogged about a Channel 4 Dispatches special, Saving Africa’s Witch Children, and the appeal set up by the charity Stepping Stones Nigeria to coincide with the film.
The response to the appeal has been amazing - over £18,000 has now been donated to the fundraising page at www.justgiving.com/witchchildren
If you missed it, you can watch the whole program again or catch two short clips. The incredibly moving program was broadcast last Tuesday from 9-10pm and you can see in our graph how donations started to fly in even before it had ended – the original target of £10,000 was almost reached that night!
This is a brilliant example of a television appeal working in harmony with online fundraising. There was no mention of the fundraising page address in the program, but it was highlighted on the charity’s website. It shows the importance of signposting appeals on your charity’s website to make it easy for people to give online, even if they find out about you offline.
Following up on the appeal, we asked Gary Foxcroft, Programme Director of UK charity Stepping Stones Nigeria, some questions about the reaction to the film’s broadcast.
So many people have been moved by your film – what were the best and the hardest parts of making it?
The best bit was undoubtedly the resounding success of the child rights rally. I’ve been involved in many other protests over the years but none as successful as this. The hardest bit was actually being followed by a film crew everywhere you went. And watching yourself on the screen really isn’t pleasant I can assure you!
What kind of feedback have you had from people who watched the film?
The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Before it came out I was very concerned that we may end up being accused of racism or colonialism. However the response from Nigerians and other Africans has been really lovely and I’m so happy that people see this as a humanitarian issue and not simply one of race.
How have you found using Justgiving?
Fantastic! I’m just so relieved that we managed to set the account with you up in time. The response completely overwhelmed us and Justgiving took a massive weight off our shoulders in terms of making it easy for people to donate and support our work. The whole Justgiving team have been nothing but outstanding in the support that they have given us. A truly top class outfit!
How often are you in touch with the children in the film, and the charity working with them in Nigeria?
I’m in almost daily contact with the guys at CRARN (the Child Rights and Rehabilitation Network) and quite often speak with the children via the loudspeaker on Sam’s phone.
What practical work is Stepping Stones Nigeria doing right now, and what’s planned for the future?
At the moment we are working hard on making sure the film is as widely watched as possible in Nigeria. It’s a great advocacy tool and we feel it is of great importance that as many people get to watch it as possible. We are also planning a large Prevent Abandonment of Children Today Campaign event in Oron (where Mary was rescued from) in December.
As for the future, well the support we have received on the back of the film will allow us to significantly expand the facilities at the CRARN camp, set up a new street child project in Oron next year and carry out a widespread enlightenment campaign. One thing that I am looking forward to working on is producing our own Nollywood film that portrays the actions of exploitative pastors and ends with them being sent to jail. It’s likely to be called “The Real End of the Wicked”!
What’s the best way for people to help Stepping Stones Nigeria at the moment?
Other than donations, we really need people to pressure the UK government and Nigerian government to act to protect these innocent children. There are online petitions to sign, letters to write to key stakeholders, Facebook groups to join. We need to spread the word about what is happening in Akwa Ibom State and exert as much pressure as we can on the policy makers so that we can put an end to the abuse of these children’s rights.
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That’s fantastic – thanks for taking the time to speak to us Gary, we wish you all the best in your ongoing work and appeals.
Ani said
Dear Gary…I just watched the YouTube videos of Nigeria’s tragically accused ‘witch children.’ It’s so difficult to fathom the insane, fervent fear that one evangelist could have promulgated among the people of a nation, a fear of innocent children. How is it possible to reason such things existing in our so-called humanity?
I wonder, too, about how it is that the Nigerian people must suffer in abject poverty, fish with futility in polluted waters, and have no more rights than to stand on the sidelines while untold wealth is uncovered by the world’s twelfth largest oil reserve on the Niger Delta; and I wonder why the Nigerian people receive nothing from this, or become compensated for the loss of their fishing livelihood by oil spilled onto the waters off Akwa Ibom state.
Akwa Ibom society suffers, and so blames it’s children…it’s future. Yet, not one “prophet,” not one “bishop,” who is responsible for the murder of people by his hand have been prosecuted.
As I search through the internet, I haven’t found new information on what has happened since November/December 2008 and now, February. I wonder if you could let me know where I could check so I may stay abreast of the current situation in Nigeria.
I’ve signed the Care2 petition to stop Liberty Foundation Gospel Ministries. I’m forwarding the story and petition to as many as I can. I’m not in the capacity to offer monetary support, but wonder what and how I can help.
Sincerely,
Annabella Pulai
Marlene Smith said
I don’t know how to express my admiration and gratitude, Gary Foxcroft, for what you are doing. Just watched the program on Four Corners in Melbourne. Aust. Can’t believe such things are done in the name of Jesus Christ. Is Stepping Stones a Christian org? Why isn’t the true church doing something to re-evangelise these people and give them the true gospel? WHAT CAN I DO? I will sign any petition or write letters, and help financially as I can. Please download the petition forms, addresses, etc. and I will do the best I can.
Marlene Smith
kat greany said
I watched the 4 corners last night about the children being accused of witchcraft and was in total shock!! I had no idea that this was even happening. Thank you to Gary Foxcraft and your team for bringing this to the worlds attention. As a mother and fellow human being, my heart broke for those children. Gary, you and all the people involvedin woking towards helping these children are real angels on Earth. Your a true hero and your an insiration to us all.
Kat Greany
John Goard said
Gary I can only wish you all the luck and help in this sometimes very sick world. I am an agnostic but do believe in Christian principles and I am in awe of what you are trying to achieve. I do hope that you and your good lady are able get something done regarding these poor kids who by no stretch of the imagination deserve such treatment. I am not in a position where I can help you physically or financially – I only wish I was. But for what it is worth I think you are both truly brave and courageous people to take on such a task with no concerns for for your own safety. My thoughts and best wishes are with you both.
Kindesr regards
John
Janine Greening said
I to watched the program tonight, and was shocked to find out that this was going on , that the children where thrown away like a piece of
rubish , killed,abused,tortured as they had no value, all for the sake of power and control ,thank you for letting us know what is going on,and it is our duty to tell others and Write letters , many people will watch this some will turn it off as they will get upset,but what about the victims who live it every day,and the workers who support them.
Koula Sotiriadis said
Hi Gary, I am another person that has just finished watching the documentary on the show four corners about the witch children of Nigeria. You are an amazing person and I applaud you for the hard work and support you have given these beautiful children that are so mistreated. Just wanted to let you know that I will inform as many people that I can about this issue and I hope to be able to help in some way.
You are all doing an amazing job, its nice to know that there are still people like you around that actually step up and try to make a change.
Dee Grech said
Hi Gary, I have felt a sense of pain, disbelief and anger after watching the story last night on 4 corners about witch children in Nigeria.
Being in Sydney Aust, I feel so helpless and unable to help. I am sickened that adult people would treat and abuse children like these beautiful kids. The innocent children are confused and lost yet have no one or no where to go.
Thank God for your team at CRARN and Stepping Stones. People are put on this earth to to amazing selfless acts and you are one of these people.
I applaud you and your workers and will support your cause and tell people I know about this.
I’ve never been so touched by a story, it was an eye opener to what is happening in today’s world that no one could ever imagine happening.
Thankyou
Dee
Satish Balgi said
Hi Gary
It takes immense courage and dedication to do the work you are doing. I wish I could do some thing like that.
I wish these things never ever happened to any one, leave alone the children who are so helpless when the parents and the society who are supposed to protect them are hell bent on destroying them. It was so cruel. I admire every thing you do.
I want to send an e mail or a letter to the Governor, who in the end not only decided to hear the petition but also lent a helping hand. I want to congratulate him and hopefully things similar to these could be eradicated by showing them to the rest of the world, by the virtue of organizations like CRARN and God sent people like Gary Foxcroft .
God bless
Judy Hawthorne said
Hi Gary, What a wonderful thing you are doing for these poor little children in Nigeria. After watching the Four Corners show on Monday night I was so upset after seeing the little girl screaming and crying when her mother just left her while her baby brother held out his arm to her, I cannot just let it go. Please let me know what I can do to help. Meanwhile I’ll be writing to the High Commissioner of Nigeria in Canberra expressing my horror at such emotional and physical cruelty to these poor innocent victims. It really makes my blood boil.
All the very best. Please keep up the good work.
Pam McAllister said
Dear Gary,
I, like many others, watched your story on 4 Corners in Brisbane Australia, and was shocked and horrified to see that this cruelty and horror goes on in Nigeria. Words cannot describe how I feel about this inhumane and abject cruelty and persecution. I have watched some truly horrible programmes on TV, but nothing compares to this. You have my utmost admiration for the work you and your volunteers are doing. You are an angel on earth. Don’t ever give up on those beautiful haunted children. God bless you.
Pam McAllister
Jamie Young said
All I have to say Gary is that you are my idol and an inspiration to us all. I am not a christian but may god be on your side.