The Salesian film, directed by Raúl de la Fuente, is a part of the “I’m not a witch” campaign launched in 2014 by Salesian Missions Madrid to address the ongoing child abuse and violence faced by children in Togo and other areas of Africa and Asia as a result of poverty and tribal traditions. The campaign works with families, communities, governments and the international community to raise awareness while highlighting the root causes and conditions that lead to accusations of witchcraft and the resulting violations of children’s basic rights.

“Yo no soy bruja” tells the story of several children accused of witchcraft and highlights the work of Salesian missionaries who care for them in many of their programs. One child’s story featured in the film is that of Georgette, a girl in Togo who was accused of witchcraft by her stepmother. Georgette’s hands were badly burned and scarred for life after her stepmother submerged them in boiling water, purportedly to determine if she was a witch. Today, Georgette lives at the Don Bosco Center in the city of Kara in northern Togo.

“The people who do this must not remain unpunished,” says Ana Muñoz, spokesperson for Salesian Missions Madrid. “Thousands of boys and girls like Georgette are maltreated and even killed in Africa through practices like this. Children that are a bit more lively or smarter than others or children with disabilities or illness are sometimes accused of witchcraft.”

At the Don Bosco Center in Kara, Togo, Father José Luis de la Fuente, along with other Salesian missionaries, counter the deeply rooted cultural beliefs that routinely demonize children and blame them for illnesses, deaths and other misfortunes that are more accurately the outcome of overwhelming poverty. The Don Bosco Center offers a loving home where youth can recover from their physical and emotional wounds. In addition, the Center provides opportunities to break the cycle of poverty though through education and training.

More than 80 percent of Togo’s rural population lives in conditions of poverty making the country one of the world’s poorest, according to UNICEF. Children in the country suffer the most with close to 50 percent of those living in poverty under the age of 18. One in eight children will not reach their fifth birthday, and the number of children who drop out of school because their parents cannot afford to educate them is high. Children are also forced to work in exploitative and dangerous conditions in order to help support their families.

Salesian programs in Togo provide youth a place to live, nutritious meals and counseling along with education and job skills training. The goal is to help youth develop a sense of hope for their future and learn the skills necessary to lead independent, productive lives.

Sources:

ANS – Spain – The short film “Yo no soy bruja” finalist in the Espiello Awards

ANS – Spain – The Salesian Mission Office in Madrid launches the “Yo No Soy Bruja” campaign

Salesian Missions – Mission in Focus: Help Rescue Them from Blame

UNICEF – Togo

The post TOGO: Salesian Film and Awareness Campaign Work to Address Violations of Children’s Basic Rights first appeared on MissionNewswire.

With more than 400 million poor people, or one-third of the world’s poor according to UNICEF, ensuring youth have access to education in order for them to find stable employment at the appropriate age and break the cycle of poverty, is a priority in the country. Although more than 53 million people escaped poverty between 2005 and 2010, they remain vulnerable to falling back below the poverty line.

Lack of educational opportunities in India are often due to issues of caste, class and gender and with 44 percent of the workforce illiterate, there is much work to be done. Less than 10 percent of the working-age population has completed a secondary education and too many secondary graduates do not have the knowledge and skills to compete in today’s changing job market.

At Don Bosco House in Alangulam, located in the Virudunagar District in the state of Tamil Nadu, Salesians are working to educate child laborers in the fireworks and match industry. About 90 percent of India’s production of fireworks takes place in 460 firework factories which employ more than 40,000 workers, many of whom are child laborers.

Youth working in these factories are subject to dangerous working conditions and are paid very little. They are vulnerable to both physical and emotional abuse, respiratory illnesses such as asthma and tuberculosis, skin diseases and chemical burns and in the very worst cases, death due to explosions. Some youth are orphaned and have no option but to work in the factories in order to survive. Others are sent to the factories by poor parents desperate for a little extra money resulting in youth caught up in a cycle of poverty and hopelessness.

“Children who are compelled to work, even for a fraction of the day, are deprived of the education they need to learn valuable skills that lead to stable employment later in life,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Unfortunately in many situations, children are being forced to work around the clock, with barely enough time to eat, let alone study, and their prospects in life are diminished.”

At Don Bosco House, Salesian staff reach out directly to youth working in the fireworks and match factories as well as other dangerous industries, offering opportunities for technical education. Don Bosco House offers shelter to homeless youth in addition to a program of study that provides support groups, study centers and structured leisure activities to prevent students from dropping out of school and returning to the factories.

Once youth reach a legal working age and have completed their studies, Salesians at Don Bosco House help provide them with opportunities for safe, livable wage employment.

“By integrating intensive training in current social issues such as child labor, human rights, women empowerment and health and hygiene, among other topics, Salesians aim to effect long-term social change while helping youth to create a future where they can attend school and find jobs in dignified, safe and profitable fields,” adds Fr. Hyde.

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Sources

Salesian Father Thamburaj Don Bosco India – A Brief Report on Sivakasi Fireworks Industry

Salesian Missions – Improving the Standard of Living for Child Slaves

UNICEF – India

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