Request for Transparency from BMA
Background
There are credible allegations of multiple cases of abuse at the Light of Hope Orphanage. These allegations include:
- Physical abuse of children by adults
- Physical abuse of caregivers by children
- Sexual abuse of children by other children
- Other sexual abuse of the vulnerable
These kinds of issues point to significant organizational failures. Some of these persisted for an extended amount of time and were not addressed adequately. Because of this, children and caregivers were left unprotected and without the necessary support.
It is also alleged that the leadership within the orphanage and BMA has attempted to cover up what has happened:
- Information about the situation has been covered up or only partially communicated at multiple levels within both organizations.
- Whistleblowers have been sidelined, ignored, or denigrated.
- Transparency and accountability have been resisted.
- The BMA moderator finally chose to resign due to his concerns about how the situation was being mishandled.
Communication about the situation has been tightly managed. Multiple people have requested an independent investigation. We are inviting others to also join this request.
A trustworthy, experienced organization is needed for the investigation. Based on discussions with legal counsel who have experience in similar situations, Guidepost Solutions is a recommended option. They are respected and have extensive experience with these kinds of situations. We are not proposing GRACE because of concerns some BMA leaders have expressed based on past experience.
There are donors who have offered to contribute significantly to the cost if finances are a barrier to the investigation.
- Josh Nisly, NY