But what if that same child lives on the other side of the world, far away from you? And is also in desperate need of help. Would you act then? Why does it feel different?
In The child in the pond, journalist Max Boogaard travels with Liliane Fonds to Sierra Leone to follow local aid workers fighting to protect children with disabilities. Along the way, he explores the moral dilemmas of global responsibility and the ethical questions we often avoid.
What makes this series different
The child in the pond tells real stories from the field, combining story-driven documentary storytelling with local voices and lived experiences. The series is also perfect for team discussions, classrooms or policy workshops. You can use these questions to reflect or simply think a little deeper:
- How does physical and cultural distance influence our funding priorities?
- Whose lives feel “close enough” to trigger action and why?
- How can institutions counter moral distance in decision-making?
- How do you prioritize aid? Who do you help first?
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The question that started it all
The idea behind The child in the pond comes from philosopher Peter Singer’s 1972 essay, where he asks a simple but powerful question: if you saw a child drowning nearby, would you save them? And what if the child were far away? This essay challenges us to rethink our moral obligations and reflects directly in the stories told in this podcast.
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Practical information
- Episodes: 3
- Duration: 30 minutes each
- Language: English
- Contact: Timo Vorstenbosch, Contentmanager, Tvorstenbosch@lilianefonds.nl
Images from the podcast
During his journey, Max visits Annabel, Fatima, Joshua, Alhaji and Sara. See photos of these children and take a behind-the-scenes look at the making of this podcast.
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Annabel and her mother Ramatu (episode 1) -
Annabel and her mother Ramatu (episode 1) -
CBR coordinator Babra in conversation with Ramatu, the mother of Annabel (episode 1) -
Max and Koroma in conversation with Ramatu, the mother of Annabel (episode 1) -
Max in conversation with Samuel, program leader of One Family People (episode 1) -
Joshua with his red car (episode 2) -
Max explains to Fatima how the podcast recorder works (episode 2) -
Alhaji (episode 2) -
The chain around Alhaji’s ankle (episode 2) -
Reba, Alhaji’s grandmother, is being interviewed (episode 2) -
Reba, Alhaji’s grandmother (episode 2) -
Max on the veranda with Alhaji (episode 2) -
In Alhaji’s village (episode 2) -
Sara (episode 3) -
Sara on his tricycle (episode 3) -
Sara and his mother (episode 3)
Will you jump in the pond?
You’ve heard the stories of Annabel, Fatima, Joshua and Alhaji. The podcast asks a simple question: If you could help a child in need, would you act?
Take that step. You can help.