CHILD

PROTECTION

Our two programmes are designed to help children and young people make everyday decisions that reduce risk and support wellbeing in the challenging worlds they live in.

The Wishing Ring tells the story of Annette – a young girl who is emotionally and sexually abused, yet finds the courage to escape her situation after finding and confiding in a trusted adult. Meanwhile, Will This Be Your Life? tells of a girl named Daisy who is smitten by an older man - and what happens when she goes off with him. 

After reflecting on these characters, participants collaborate to create stories reflecting their own realities, playing out familiar experiences from a safe, empathetic, non-judgemental distance with puppets and all the fun and surprisises this brings. 

There are many overlaps between our Peace, PSS, and Child Protection programmes. Will This Be Your Life? was created for our HIV series but is a powerful protection piece in its own right. 

THE WISHING RING: CLIP
Child Protection, Haiti

Annette lives with the constant dread of abuse and feels all alone in the world. Like so many children in Haiti, her parents, too poor to bring her up themselves, have sent her to the city, hoping she will have a better life as what’s known as a Restavek. But Annette’s 'relatives' mistreat her horribly, and she is also kept out of school. In Annette’s eyes, she is the lowest of the low.

One day, a stranger arrives out of nowhere, and gives Annette a ring – a Wishing Ring. If she obeys its three rules, all her wishes will come true. In doing so, Annette finds friends, a trusted adult and support… and then goes on to learn that the ring is in truth just an old piece of metal and the ‘magic’ for courage and change was inside her all along.

  • Annette lives with the threat of brutal abuse from her ‘uncle’.

  • Restavek child in Port au Prince with sock puppets made by her group.

  • The wishing ring gives Annette confidence to finally find an adult she can trust.

WILL THIS BE YOUR LIFE? CLIP
Child Protection, Sub-Saharan Africa

Daisy falls for Clifford when he pulls up on his motorbike and offers her gifts. Of course she does – she’s growing up, she’s being noticed. He’s handsome! When she starts hanging out with Clifford, she grows up big time, but the excitement comes to a screeching halt when she finds out she’s pregnant, she has HIV, and Clifford wants nothing more to do with her.

Daisy is a puppet, so it is easy to be sympathetic as we consider her choices and all that prompts them. This film allows us to discuss difficult issues in relation to Daisy and Clifford rather than ourselves. By sharing and hearing one another, girls and boys can strengthen healthy and positive attitudes towards behavioural norms.

Daisy Falls for Clifford …

  • Daisy falls for the much older Clifford and wants nothing to do with her old friends anymore.

  • He’s handsome. He has a motorbike. Daisy grows up fast. Perhaps a little too fast ...

  • Fortunately, Daisy has a magic return button that enables her to start again. Will you be so lucky?