Infanticide and the Vine Heritage Home Foundation in Nigeria
The story of Esther Stevens offers a stark introduction to the challenges faced by vulnerable children in parts of Nigeria. In 2007, Esther's life began with tragedy: the death of her mother during childbirth in a Nigerian village. Following traditional beliefs, some villagers considered the infant cursed and prepared to bury her with her mother. Fortunately, a missionary intervened, securing permission from a traditional priest to take the child.
Esther was subsequently raised by Olusola and Chinwe Stevens, a Christian couple who operate a children's home in Abuja. Traditional belief systems in Nigeria have historically associated certain births, such as those involving albinism, deformities, or twins, with misfortune. While these beliefs have largely diminished in many areas, they regrettably persist in some isolated communities, where the death of a mother in childbirth can still be unjustly attributed to the infant.
The Vine Heritage Home Foundation
The Stevens family has been actively confronting these deeply rooted practices since 1996, having discovered that some children were still being subjected to infanticide. In response to this urgent need, they established the Vine Heritage Home Foundation in 2004. This refuge for vulnerable children now provides care for over 200 children.
The home operates less than 40 miles from Abuja, serving communities often reliant on subsistence farming and characterized by limited access to healthcare.
Approximately 75% of children at Vine Heritage are there due to their mothers' deaths in childbirth, reflecting Nigeria's high maternal mortality rate.
The Stevens began their efforts by appealing to families and local missionaries to bring