Case Study
Prisoner in Paradise
Services Completed:
Investigative Journalism, Producer
The Task:
W5 was approached by Crystal and Vanden Earle, two Canadians struggling to bring their adopted daughter home to Canada. With Widlene left stateless by changes to laws in the Dominican Republic, they were unable to bring Widlene home, Vaden turned to W5 to try to bring Widlene home. This led to a decade-long struggle by the Earles to bring her to Canada. Faced with the inability to bring Widlene home, Vaden reached out to W5 in a final attempt to help bring her to Canada.
The Approach:
W5 spent months engaging in extensive conversations with the Earles and their legal representatives, accompanying them on a journey to the Dominican Republic to meet Widlene. Delving deep into immigration regulations, we pushed for accountability from the Canadian government regarding the prolonged 10-year ordeal. The resulting documentary, spanning an hour, showcased the unwavering determination of the Canadian couple as they navigated a decade-long struggle to fulfill their heartfelt quest of reuniting with their daughter.
Results and Reaction:
Within 10 days after the broadcast of our documentary, Widlene received approval for a visa to join her family in Canada. The documentary was honored with the RTDNA Award in the category of "Best News Information Program" and also earned a nomination for a CAJ Award in recognition of its outstanding reporting on human rights issues.
Prisoner in Paradise
Services Completed:
Investigative Journalism, Producer
The Task:
W5 was approached by Crystal and Vanden Earle, two Canadians struggling to bring their adopted daughter home to Canada. With Widlene left stateless by changes to laws in the Dominican Republic, they were unable to bring Widlene home, Vaden turned to W5 to try to bring Widlene home. This led to a decade-long struggle by the Earles to bring her to Canada. Faced with the inability to bring Widlene home, Vaden reached out to W5 in a final attempt to help bring her to Canada.
The Approach:
W5 spent months engaging in extensive conversations with the Earles and their legal representatives, accompanying them on a journey to the Dominican Republic to meet Widlene. Delving deep into immigration regulations, we pushed for accountability from the Canadian government regarding the prolonged 10-year ordeal. The resulting documentary, spanning an hour, showcased the unwavering determination of the Canadian couple as they navigated a decade-long struggle to fulfill their heartfelt quest of reuniting with their daughter.
Results and Reaction:
Within 10 days after the broadcast of our documentary, Widlene received approval for a visa to join her family in Canada. The documentary was honored with the RTDNA Award in the category of "Best News Information Program" and also earned a nomination for a CAJ Award in recognition of its outstanding reporting on human rights issues.
