Communities honechild protection skills

Lupembe-Mlare Citizen Voice and Action members from Karonga District have vowed to implement child protection interventions they learned in Salima.

The members, who from Wednesday to Friday visited Lipimbi Area Programme in Traditional Authority Khombedza, Salima District where World Vision Malawi is running its projects, appreciated how the coordination among traditional leaders and child protection committees were ending child marriages.

In an interview on Monday, Lupembe-Mlare Citizen Voice and Action chairperson Before Mwalughali expressed satisfaction with the interventions and collaboration, which he said were crucial in the fight against child marriages.

He said: “The visit has taught us that it is possible to collaborate with traditional leaders to end child marriages, teenage pregnancies and other cultural practices that promote immoral behaviours among children.

“Above all, we have learnt that it is possible to develop strategic plans to sustain the interventions after the project phases out.”

Lupembe-Mlare Child Protection Committee chairperson Cordius Simwaka said it was pleasing to note that women were in the forefront in the fight against gender-based violence.

“We also learned that traditional leaders encourage children to go to school,” he said.

Group village head Chimonjo of Salima said World Vision empowered them on how to protect children from various forms of abuse.

“Together with traditional leaders, we abolished cultural values which fuel child marriages,” she said.

World Vision Karonga district manager Hendrix Kalanje said the exchange visit sought to expose community members from Karonga District to new knowledge on how to protect children’s rights.