Cedric - Child Witch

After years of conlifct, the very structure of society in the Democratic Republic of Congo has been unravelled, leaving behind it extreme poverty and millions unable to feed themselves. It is no wonder then, that when nine year old Cédric went to live with his extended family after both his parents had died, he was soon seen as just another mouth to feed, and a burden on his family's already strained finances.

Unfortunately in the DRC, it is an all too convenient practice to accuse an unwanted child of witchcraft. In a country still deeply superstitious, accusations of witchcraft are taken so seriously that those unfortunate enough to be labelled as 'posessed' are cast out of their community, often leaving them alone, vulnerable and in great danger.

Cédric was one of those children.

Thrown out of his family and excluded by his community, Cédric scraped a meager living on the streets of Kinshasa collecting leaves to sell as mulch for compost, unaware of the health risks posed by such an activity. On the streets and alone, Cédric, like many of Kinshasa's 20,000 street children, was vulnerable and exposed to extortion. It is not uncommon for Kinshasa's police to round kids up and force them to scope houses which the police then burgle. This breach of the child's rights becomes widespread as word of supposed withcraft spread. Cédric became rapidly marginalised as one by one, his rights seemed to disappear altogether. Like so many others, Cédric was forced to find security in a gang, sending him into a viscous circle of stealing and violence which only excluded him further in the eyes of the law and the local community.

It was through one of the 'Listening Posts' run by War Child and Kinshasa's Frere Maino centre for boys that Cédric was spotted. After explaining the services War Child and Frere Maino could offer him, Cédric was asked to drop by.

Unsurprisingly, Cédric never arrived at the centre. Like many young boys who have been traumatized on the streets, Cédric felt there was no one he could trust. In a world of gangs, violence and child trafficking, it wasn't hard to understand why Cédric was mistrustful of anyone but himself.

After one month of searching, Cédric was finally persuaded to come and see the centre for himself. He spoke to the staff and some of the children who lived there and agreed to give it a try.

Working with both Cédric and his family, the conditions that caused Cédric to be excluded from his community and home in the first place have now changed. His uncle has become part of a local bakery initiative meaning the household income and food security is greatly increased. With Cédric extended family now a viable economic unit, Cédric is making weekly visists to his family and is now on the path to being fully reintegrated into society.