Benin: Voodoo Children

Benin is the home of Voodoo. The ancient animist belief was taken by slaves from this tiny West African state to Haiti and New Orleans. Benin is the only country in the world that officially recognises Voodoo as a state religion, affording it the same national status as Christianity or Islam. But, as Unreported World reveals, Voodoo is trapping thousands in poverty and causing some families to sell their children in to slavery. Seen by its adherents as traditional belief that connects them to their land, culture and ancestors, Voodoo is a complex set of beliefs and obligations that, it is claimed, has helped enforce religious and social order for more than 4,000 years. However, as reporter Evan Williams and director James Brabazon discover, it is frequently perpetuated by threats, fear and even the kidnapping of young children.