We’re delighted to announce that, after a lot of hard work, the new-look SCWA website is now live! The new site has all the content from its previous incarnation and more. There are personal stories of children who have been accused of witchcraft, resources, fresh news items and key diary dates. It is also more eye-catching and easier to navigate than ever before. We hope it will be a significant tool in drawing new supporters to SCWA and raising awareness of child witch accusations. Visit http://stop-cwa.org and take a look at the new site for yourself. We’d welcome your feedback.

Please spread the word. Please tell your friends and your church about the new SCWA website. For example, a great way of doing that is by posting a link to the site on Facebook or Twitter.

The round table action forum on child witch accusations, which took place in Togo last week, far exceeded our expectations. We hope and believe that those who participated in it will build momentum around the issue and begin to make a lasting impact on the nation.

Looking back on the forum, Susie says: ‘My heart is overflowing with thanks to God for the success of the forum and to all of you for the part that you played in helping to make it a reality through your prayers!’

You can download a full report on the forum by clicking here.

Please continue to pray that the 59 church leaders who attended the forum will have the courage and boldness to put what they learned into practice, and to resist the prevailing climate of fear and ignorance that causes children in Togo to suffer.

Susie is currently in Togo, helping to lead a forum on child witch accusations, alongside our friends MECI. The three-day event is bringing together influential theologians and church leaders from all over the country, to discuss the issue and appropriate responses to it.

Recent research has shown that accusations of witchcraft against children are widely accepted in Togo as ‘just something that happens’, so many of the delegates at the forum are finding some of their deeply-held beliefs are being challenged. However, their response so far has been hugely encouraging. There has been enthusiasm, energy and willingness to learn. A senior church leader has commented: ‘We will go back to our churches and share what we have learned with others. I want to go and start a revolution!’

Thank you so much for praying with us about the forum. As the event draws to a close, please continue to pray that the teaching will result in significant changes in the delegates’ hearts and minds, and that they will pass on their learning when they return home, changing the attitudes of whole communities.