- M
- D
HELP SAVE PRECIOUS
How much is the life of a child worth?
This is a question that Ajoke, a single mother living in Canada, must confront – her daughter, Precious, is a 13 year old facing the immediate threat of deportation to her home country of Nigeria, where she will be a victim of female genital mutilation (FGM). This heinous act, practiced in 30 countries across Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, has thus far been excused as a “religious act” – however, many other countries have outlawed it due to concerns regarding fatality danger, infection risks, and the fact that many of the girls subjected to this procedure are underage and have no way of giving valid consent. Michelle Obama, among other politicians, has called it "a barbaric act" - female genital mutilation is not equivalent to male circumcision, it is a clear human rights violation and stopping it is imperative to the health and safety of women and girls globally. Should Precious be deported, she is at risk of becoming another tragic statistic in this ongoing issue.
Precious, along with her mother and father, came to visit Canada in 2015. Her father, a Nigerian official, was a whistleblower against high officials in the Nigerian state; upon his return to Nigeria two weeks prior to Precious and her mother’s planned return, he was kidnapped and is presumed dead, due to a lack of response from the Nigerian government. His family blames Ajoke, and expressed clear intentions to put both Ajoke and Precious through religious cleansing rituals on their arrival, which include being subjected to FGM.
Precious, who has embraced her Canadian life in south-central Mississauga, is acutely aware of this. A little girl loved by her community, she now suffers from severe depression, and has considered harming herself on many occasions, at one point considering jumping from the 12th floor balcony of her apartment. Her mother, a personal support worker for the elderly, struggles to make ends meet and pay the rent, as well as the mounting costs of paying lawyers to help her save her daughter. Their family, already broken by the loss of Precious’ father, flounders below the poverty line, with the constant reminder of Precious’ deportation and fate looming overhead. On any given evening, Precious can be found walking around the neighbourhood, helping her mother with groceries and assisting in preparing dinner for others in the community. Her only outlet to speak openly about her situation thus far has been within her Church community, where she and her mother are active participants and have the freedom to express their fears and concerns. But she needs more.
No child should have their life quantified by a legal system, especially one that prides itself on maintaining the rights of all humans protected under it, as Canada does. Thus far Ajoke has been seeing immigration lawyers, unaware that Precious’ case stretches far beyond that, and is undeniably a human rights issue. This is not the story of a family trying to cheat the system, this is a mother trying to protect her daughter from a senseless act of irreversible violence. The Canadian government and its’ people have a responsibility to protect all; the genital – and therefore sexual – mutilation without consent of an innocent child is NO EXCEPTION.
YOU have the power to save Precious by helping to spread her story and by making a modest donation to help secure continuous, effective advocacy to convince the Minister of Immigration to do the right thing. All donations will be put towards legal fees and mental health support for Precious.
DONATION BREAKDOWN
1. 50% of donations will go towards Precious' legal bills - specifically the still-mounting fees her lawyer has had to pay to resubmit Precious' case. While the firm has agreed to take this case pro-bono, there are constant bureaucratic fees that incur with every submission and reassessment (in this case, the case had been previously submitted erroneously as an immigration issue instead of a human rights issue).
2. 45% will go towards getting Precious the appropriate support for her mental health issues as well as assisting her and her mother in rebuilding an adequate quality of life during this difficult time.
3. 5% will go towards fundraising costs.
The worth of a little girl’s innocence, youth, and life has been dictated to her via a cruel and inhumane procedure. With a simple donation, you have the power to change that.
How much is the life of a child worth?
This is a question that Ajoke, a single mother living in Canada, must confront – her daughter, Precious, is a 13 year old facing the immediate threat of deportation to her home country of Nigeria, where she will be a victim of female genital mutilation (FGM). This heinous act, practiced in 30 countries across Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, has thus far been excused as a “religious act” – however, many other countries have outlawed it due to concerns regarding fatality danger, infection risks, and the fact that many of the girls subjected to this procedure are underage and have no way of giving valid consent. Michelle Obama, among other politicians, has called it "a barbaric act" - female genital mutilation is not equivalent to male circumcision, it is a clear human rights violation and stopping it is imperative to the health and safety of women and girls globally. Should Precious be deported, she is at risk of becoming another tragic statistic in this ongoing issue.
Precious, along with her mother and father, came to visit Canada in 2015. Her father, a Nigerian official, was a whistleblower against high officials in the Nigerian state; upon his return to Nigeria two weeks prior to Precious and her mother’s planned return, he was kidnapped and is presumed dead, due to a lack of response from the Nigerian government. His family blames Ajoke, and expressed clear intentions to put both Ajoke and Precious through religious cleansing rituals on their arrival, which include being subjected to FGM.
Precious, who has embraced her Canadian life in south-central Mississauga, is acutely aware of this. A little girl loved by her community, she now suffers from severe depression, and has considered harming herself on many occasions, at one point considering jumping from the 12th floor balcony of her apartment. Her mother, a personal support worker for the elderly, struggles to make ends meet and pay the rent, as well as the mounting costs of paying lawyers to help her save her daughter. Their family, already broken by the loss of Precious’ father, flounders below the poverty line, with the constant reminder of Precious’ deportation and fate looming overhead. On any given evening, Precious can be found walking around the neighbourhood, helping her mother with groceries and assisting in preparing dinner for others in the community. Her only outlet to speak openly about her situation thus far has been within her Church community, where she and her mother are active participants and have the freedom to express their fears and concerns. But she needs more.
No child should have their life quantified by a legal system, especially one that prides itself on maintaining the rights of all humans protected under it, as Canada does. Thus far Ajoke has been seeing immigration lawyers, unaware that Precious’ case stretches far beyond that, and is undeniably a human rights issue. This is not the story of a family trying to cheat the system, this is a mother trying to protect her daughter from a senseless act of irreversible violence. The Canadian government and its’ people have a responsibility to protect all; the genital – and therefore sexual – mutilation without consent of an innocent child is NO EXCEPTION.
YOU have the power to save Precious by helping to spread her story and by making a modest donation to help secure continuous, effective advocacy to convince the Minister of Immigration to do the right thing. All donations will be put towards legal fees and mental health support for Precious.
DONATION BREAKDOWN
1. 50% of donations will go towards Precious' legal bills - specifically the still-mounting fees her lawyer has had to pay to resubmit Precious' case. While the firm has agreed to take this case pro-bono, there are constant bureaucratic fees that incur with every submission and reassessment (in this case, the case had been previously submitted erroneously as an immigration issue instead of a human rights issue).
2. 45% will go towards getting Precious the appropriate support for her mental health issues as well as assisting her and her mother in rebuilding an adequate quality of life during this difficult time.
3. 5% will go towards fundraising costs.
The worth of a little girl’s innocence, youth, and life has been dictated to her via a cruel and inhumane procedure. With a simple donation, you have the power to change that.
Organizer and beneficiary
Ajoke Dosunmu
Beneficiary