To
Save the Children Canada
4141 Yonge Street, Suite 300, Toronto, ON M2P 2A8
 
Sub: Mr.Peter Dan English
 

Hello Mr.RICHARD STURSBERG,
 

The BBC news mentions that Street Kids international was merged with Save the Children. Its beyond pain that a person of his repute is associated with your name. Can you confirm the current status and his current relationship with your organization?
 
Reference: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-48919087

 

 
We would be keen to hear your statement on pedophilia practice by your workers. Since you have the dollar advantage, it puts poor Hindus in Nepal and India at the mercy of your workers. We are quite concerned and it remains your duty as a Not for Profit that is receiving public funds to confirm.
 
Thank you,
The Dialogue team
 
 

Response from Save the children, 19th October 2020
 

Dear Goapala Krishna,

Thank you for contacting Save the Children about your concerns.I can confirm that this individual has never worked for Save the Children. We understand he was employed by Street Kids International in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Save the Children acquired one of Street Kids International’s programs and some of its assets in 2015.I can assure you that Save the Children is committed to creating a culture where sexual abuse, assault, harassment or misconduct in any form is rooted out. Save the Children has a strong code of conduct, which requires all staff to act with respect, dignity, integrity and professionalism towards their colleagues, and especially towards the children and communities with whom we work. We actively improve our procedures to ensure we have a culture of effective reporting and safeguarding. Our Child Safeguarding Policy applies across our whole organization, to our work in both humanitarian and development contexts, globally and domestically, and across all levels, teams and departments. We are accountable to our beneficiaries, especially the children we work with, to our staff and our supporters. Zero incidence may not be possible, but acceptance is never tolerated. We know that no organization is immune to abuses of power, but we are doing what it takes to inoculate our culture against it.When people bravely come forward to report concerns, we treat them with dignity and respect. We ensure that no one who comes forward to report unacceptable behaviour in this organization will be asked to face this difficult process alone, nor will they face negative consequences for coming forward. If you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me directly.
 
Regards
Jessica
 
Jessica Bryant | Save the Children | Head of Communications, Media and Public Relations
4141 Yonge Street, Suite 300 – Toronto, Ontario, Canada M2P 2A8
T: 1-647-973-1185 | 1-800-668-5036 x 295

Our reply to them: 26th Oct, 2020

Hi Jessica,

You spelt my name wrong. Thanks for your reply! It was a standard corporate letter however few lines were quite disappointing, “When people bravely come forward to report concerns, we treat them with dignity and respect. We ensure that no one who comes forward to report unacceptable behavior in this organization will be asked to face this difficult process alone, nor will they face negative consequences for coming forward”.
 
It almost sounded like you are preparing to defend someone within your organization even before the act was committed or even bad is grooming someone to prepare such act? Its confusing a bit. It also sounds like that the onus of reporting is pushed onto to the victim of abuse, in this case the poor child? How will a poor Hindu on the streets of Nepal or India muster courage? Please clarify.
 
The key question to you in the mail was, “We would be keen to hear your statement on pedophilia practice by your workers.” For example Organizations that work with a Christian agenda have “sphere standards to work with”. Would you have any policy document on this subject?
 
Sincerely
Gopala Krishna
www.thedialogue.ca
https://www.facebook.com/dwarapalakas/
dialogue@thedialogue.ca