Angola: shelter for children accused of witchcraft seeks support

children accused of witchcraft

In the Angolan city of Soyo, a Care Centre for young children accused of witchcraft is running out of space and medicines, the director of Kikudo Centre Fr Eduardo Matumona told local Catholic newspaper Apostolado.

Fr Matumona adds: "We lack space. For example the room where we register the children was once part of the parish cemetery… the dormitory is in a very poor condition, the children's camp beds have no sheets"

"But gradually things are moving, thank God - with parish resources and a little support from outside", Fr Matumona said.

"Our goal is to give these children back to society for the future of the nation. At present we have three children and three elderly persons, aged between 50 and 70".

Kikudo Centre is a social project undertaken by the local Catholic Church in Zaire Province, one of the 16 provinces in Angola.

Thousands of Angolans " are living in fear of spirits, of malign and threatening powers. In their bewilderment they end up even condemning street children and the elderly as alleged sorcerers." the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI said on 21 March last year during his pastoral visit to Angola, when he celebrated Mass in the Church of São Paulo in Luanda.

Source: Fides