The Plight of the African Child: Reflections on the Response of the Church

Introduction

Millions of children make their way through life impoverished, abandoned, uneducated, malnourished, discriminated against, neglected and vulnerable. For them life is a daily struggle to survive … For these children childhood as a time to grow, learn, play and feel safe is in effect meaningless.¹ The above statement, though describing the state of children worldwide, indicates that the notion of the happy African child celebrated bythe author Camara Laye in his book The African Child has long sincegone.² War, poverty, malnutrition, starvation, Human Immuno-deficiency Virus/Acquired Immuno-Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) and other diseases, exploitation, oppression, neglect and lack of education altogether demonstrate that present day Africa has denied the African child any true joy of living.

This article highlights the plight of the African child and the response of the Church to the most vulnerable in society. The main argument is that the church has a moral obligation to nurture and protect the children in obedience of Christ's command 'let the children come to me and do not stop them because the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these' (Mt 19.14). The first section examines the significance of children in the traditional African society. Traditionally, the purpose of the marriage institution was procreation. Children were regarded as the seal of marriage. Parents had the role of looking after the well-being and development of their children, yet the whole community shared responsibility for child rearing.

Social, economic and cultural changes, however, have exposed African children to life-threatening situations. The second section identifies the various ways in which the African child is dehumanised. That this is contrary to Biblical tradition is analysed in the third section. In the Gospels, Jesus identifies with the children and depicts them as modelsfor adults of entering the reign of God. In response to Christ's call to hold children with dignity, the Church in Africa has put in place mechanisms to deal with all dehumanising conditions that impact negatively on them. It is concluded that the world as a whole must take a definite option for the children who suffer and are marginalised by channelling our resources, time and energy to their course.

The Significance of Children in Traditional African Society

In traditional African society there was a procreative emphasis in marriage due to the value attached to children. Marriage was believed to be divinely instituted and sanctioned. Child bearing was a sacred duty that had to be carried out because transmitting life meant sharing in the divine prerogative of creation itself.³ In some countries like Uganda, the name of God is often made part of the children's name. For example, Bya Katonda means 'for or by the creator'.⁴ This shows how people associated God with the continuation of life through the birth of children. Moreover, children served to perpetuate the family name and maintain the link between ancestors and the living.⁵ A woman's status in society was determined by the children she bore and her entire life was centred on them. In this connection, a childless marriage was disastrous for the couple. Roscoe, writing on the stigmatisation and plight of the barren woman, observes that 'Every married woman was anxious to become a mother … A woman who had no children was despised and soon became a slave and drudge of the household'.⁶

Polygny was allowed by custom, especially if children were not born in the earlier marriage. There were advantages of having a large family in a labour intensive economy. Children were also an economic investment in view of future marriage alliances and the acquisition of bride wealth in a partrineal family system. The exchange of bride wealth helped to establish economic ties between the families involved. In addition, it encouraged the widening of matrimonial relationships and sealed the union. Thus, bride wealth was the most concrete symbol of marriage covenant and security.

An expectant mother would receive special treatment from her neighbours and relatives. She had to observe certain taboos and regulations partly because...