Ending Infanticide in FCT communities

Earlier this year, our investigations revealed that children of multiple births (twins, triplet etc) are considered taboos and killed in some communities in the nation’s capital, FCT. Natives of Bassa-komo, Gbariyamma, Ganagana tribes in Abuja still believe that if a mother dies from childbirth or while nursing a baby, the baby is evil and must be buried (alive) with the deceased mother.

In some other communities, children with albinism, born with down syndrome, birth defects and even those who grow their upper teeth first are victims of this barbaric practice. Infanticide in the FCT remains a practice shrouded in secrecy with very few speaking openly.

The process of killing these babies involves different methods such as poisoning (with a mixture of deadly plants and herbs), starvation and suffocation.

160 children from 52 communities were recently rescued from the fang of death by Vine Heritage Homes.

We are raising funds to build a home for them, provide the education they need to thrive, and most importantly, put an end to this inhumane act in these communities.

ActionAid Nigeria is raising funds for the children of Vine Heritage Home to:

• Purchase of land for a permanent site for Vine Heritage Home
• Commencement of building for VHH, the home housing the children
• Nutritional support to children ages 0-5 years for 36 months
• Setting up a vegetable garden, poultry and fishery for sustainability of feeding in the home.
• Construction of a block of 3 classrooms for children below 5 years
• Behavioural change communications for practising communities

• Work with government/stakeholder to provide access to health care for the practising communities (they are hard to reach communities, no good roads, no health centre, etc)
• Expansion of building – to provide comfortable dormitories for the children
• Provision of a playground for children
• Educational support for children – primary, secondary, tertiary – the children go to school across FCT and pay school fees
• Training on skills acquisition/life skills for older children – to equip them with the knowledge to be responsible, take control of their lives.
• Expand their gardening to full-fledged farm for sustainability when the funding from EU/ActionAid stops.
• Intensify behavioural change in practising communities.

Please DONATE as we strive to help the children rebuild their lives.