Support the children 
Save lives 
Wear your support This painting is created by Edet, who was rescued in 2016. The rescue of Edet was depicted in the documentary “Anja and the Witch children”.
Anja and Land of Hope Director of Child Development Nsidibe Orok were called out to a village because a mother had accused her own son of being a witch. Superstition and patriarchal structures in Nigeria are very important to highlight, if we want to understand why women are forced to accuse their own children of being witches.
The village priest, who has a lot of power, convinced her that it was Edet’s fault that she had experienced a difficult labour with his little brother. Edet’s stepfather also accused him of being a witch, so she had no other choice than to abandon him. She knew that if she allowed Edet to stay in the house, he would be killed.
Today, Edet is thriving at Land of Hope. He has such a creative mind and can make anything out of nothing. He will stay up late at night and go into a creative mode. His imagination has no limits.
Over the years, we have taken Edet on many home visits. The stepfather has left his mother, and Edet has a very close relationship with his mother and little brother. We visit them very often, and our visits have strengthened Edet’s mother’s role in the community.
Children’s Art
We use visual arts education as a therapeutic tool to support the children’s mental well-being. Many of them find it difficult to speak openly about their traumatic experiences. Art classes offer a safe and expressive outlet, allowing them to communicate emotions that can be challenging to articulate verbally.
Some children paint scenes related to what they have endured, while others focus on their hopes, dreams, and visions for the future. What they all share is remarkable artistic talent, and many have already won multiple talent competitions in Nigeria.
