A Voice For the Voiceless

The Advocacy Project helps marginalized communities to tell their story, claim their rights and produce social change. We recruit graduate students to volunteer as Peace Fellows with partners.

The Impact of Service

"Speaking with locals and living in a country is the best way to learn about the real lives of citizens, not just the stories in the mainstream media. I will be more critical of what I read as a result of this experience. I also feel even more grateful for my education, and I feel a stronger responsibility to assist others who do not have resources or access to opportunities in their communities."

Maria Skouras (New York University) volunteered in 2011 as a Peace Fellow for eHomemakers in Malaysia.

For more 2011 feedback click here.

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Gideon Foundation Against Child Sacrifice

Gideon Foundation
Gideon Foundation Against Child Sacrifice

Issue: Child Sacrifice
Region: Africa
Location: Soroti, Uganda

Background
Gideon Foundation Against Child Sacrifice seeks to stop human sacrifice and offers psycho-social support to victims and survivors. The Foundation creates awareness of children's rights and to advocate and lobby against child sacrifices and ritual murders. Its vision is a nation where children are no longer deprived of security and are free from the violation of their human rights.

Gideon Foundation Against Child Sacrifice was founded in 2007 by Santos and Leah Labeja, both from Uganda, after their four year-old son Gideon became a victim of child sacrifice. Gideon was kidnapped and murdered in 2006 by a refugee who had been given sanctuary in the Labeja compound. The murderer coaxed the boy away from his home by using a toy and then killed him for his body parts at the instruction of a witch doctor. The killer was quickly released by the police. Santos and Leah Labeja channeled their despair and anger into establishing an organization in Gideon's memory.

Human sacrifice is the act of killing another human being and/or taking their body parts for a belief, whether it is to please a god or because the person thinks that it will bring them riches. Almost all of the cases are instigated or conducted by witch doctors, who hold enormous power in Ugandan society. Exploiting superstitions and fears, they sell body parts to bring good luck and appear to favour the head, tongue, eyes, brain and genitals. Body parts are also buried in large building projects, to ensure against slippage or collapse. Several buildings in the capital, Kampala, have small "shrines" which are thought to contain body parts.

Child sacrifice has become a major issue in Uganda, thanks to the advocacy fo groups like Gideon. While there is a law that condemns witchcraft under the Ugandan constitution, there is no law that specifically condemns and punishes child sacrifice. As a result, perpetrators are usually let free on bail and are allowed to continue the practice with impunity.

Gideon Foundation invited the Advocacy Project into a partnership in 2011. AP deployed a first Fellow, Jamyel Jennifer from June-August.

Meet the volunteers who work for Gideon Foundation Against Child Sacrifice.

Telling The Story

Photographs:

View the Gideon Foundation's photo gallery
View the photos of Peace Fellow Jamyel Jenifer on Flickr


Santos Labeja, the founder of Gideon Foundation and family members	Leah and Santos Labeja hold a picture of their murdered son, Gideon

Videos:

Watch AP's video on Gideon Foundation

Peace Fellow Blogs:

Read about Jamyel's work with Gideon Foundation in 2011

Quilting and Other Projects:

Gideon Foundation worked with students at Soroti Central Secondary School to create two powerful murals demanding an end to child sacrifice (below). The cost was covered by The Advocacy Project and the work was coordinated by AP Fellow Jamyel Jennier (below). The students discussed the practice in class, and are considering creating a student group to advocate against the practice.


Jamyel (left) and Santos Labeja pose with the mural

Media Coverage:

AP Peace Fellow, Jamyel Jenifer, spoke out about the issue of child sacrifice on Delta Radio in Uganda. Read scripts of Jamyel's second and third programs.

Taking Action - Gideon Foundation's Work

Making a statement: A car carries signatures protesting against child sacrifice.

Collecting data: The Foundation has recorded 83 cases of child sacritice in the Soroti region.
Working with the media: The Foundation helped the BBC in the making of a documentary, "SACRIFICED", which proved influential in publicizing the crime.
Lobbying parliament: In summer 2011 the Gideon Foundation spoke with the deputy speaker of parliament about human sacrifice and its enablers, and urged parliamentary action. The response was extremely positive.
Using art as outreach: the Foundation has commissioned two murals from students at the Soroti Central Secondary School, Gid to warm children and promote collective responsibility among community members.
Gideon Foundation has contributed to multiple radio broadcasts. ti inform the public and push for regulation on the murderous activities of witchdoctors.
A friend of the Foundation has covered his car with signatures from eminent Ugandans who are opposed to the practice of child sacrifice. They include the wife of the Vice-President (photo).

Donate to Gideon Foundation
Support Gideon Foundation Against Child Sacrifice in Uganda:

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Contact Gideon Foundation
Visit the Gideon Foundation Against Child Sacrifice website

Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 101
Soroti, Uganda
Phone: Santos Labeja: 077-245-1710 (country code 256)
Email: slabjo@hotmail.com

Visit Gideon Foundation on Facebook

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