Poverty worsening child labour in Mulanje
Communities of Manjomo Village, Traditional Authority (T/A) Nkanda in Mulanje have said poverty is forcing children into labour in tea estates at the expense of education.
The concern was raised on Sunday when Network for Youth Development (NfYD) conducted a media tour under Child Protection and Participation Project following reports of high school dropout rate in the area.
Group village head Manjomo said children seek employment in tea estates because most parents lack resources to provide their basic needs.
“Child rights are violated because parents depend on children for money. Others work in estates to buy learning materials and pay school funds while peer pressure drives some into the vice despite getting their needs from parents,” she said.
In her remarks, Ruth Wadison, a member of the community, said school dropout rate is high due to absence of role models to motivate children to remain in school.
Commenting on the issue, NfYD project manager Chancy Mkandawire encouraged parents to keep children in school to break the vicious cycle of poverty.
“The labour they are engaged in at estates is detrimental to their future. You [parents] have to strive to provide needs of the children to save them from this malpractice,” he said.
