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Joint efforts by child protection workers (CPWs) and community governance structures in Traditional Authorities (T/As) Kyungu, Kilupula and Mwakawoko in Karonga have led to the rescue of nine children from Tanzanian traffickers, authorities say.

CPW for Kilupula, Mabvuto Shoghe, expressed the sentiments as a consortium of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) toured the areas to appreciate the successes and challenges of a project implemented by the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP ) under the Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM).

In recent months, CCJP has implemented a project entitled “Improving effective protection and promotion of the rights of women and girls against gender-based violence through improved administration of justice, self-advocacy and self-activism” in the three T/As.

To achieve its goal, the Commission is working with local structures including the Zone Implementation Committee as epicenter, mothers’ groups, leaders, religious leaders, male champions, CPWs, youth, Community Victim Support Unit (CVSU), health workers, teachers and others.

And when CSO leaders visited Chikutu on Friday, Shoghe disclosed that it had had a huge impact in the area, citing the rescue of nine children from human traffickers from Tanzania last year.

“We have not registered a case of child trafficking this year. All this is thanks to the collaboration between the partners and led by CCJP,” he said.

On her part, Bertha Kikome of T/A Mwakaboko commended the project for introducing mobile courts, which imposed stiff penalties on lost and errant husbands who neglected their children.

Kikome disclosed that she now receives K40,000 monthly child support from her ex-husbands after the court found him guilty of child neglect.

“Through the same initiative, as one of the abandoned women, I trained as a tailor. Today, I have my own shop where I sew and sell clothes as a business,” she said.

ZIC Chairman Brave Kanjere disclosed that the intervention has also played a crucial role in addressing the problems of child marriage in the areas.

In his remarks, Group Village Head (GVH) Mwangolera implored CCJP to consider extending the implementation period of the project, stressing that there are still many gaps that need to be filled.

Mwangolera said while progress has been made in eliminating child labor and child marriage, the district is still far from achieving the target.

“We therefore appeal to you, CCJP, to consider expanding this project. Please request additional funding from your donors so that this intervention registers the coveted goal of ending child marriage in this area,” he pleaded.

District Liaison for DAI – Governance for Solutions (GfS), Christobell Munthali, agreed with the chief, emphasizing that after exposing the root causes of child marriage and gender-based violence, it was imperative that solutions were worked on now.

CCJP Project Officer for Gender Issues at the Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM), Stella Zimba-Wella, commended the partners for their cooperation and coordination during the implementation of the project.

Zimba-Wella reiterated that coordinated service delivery plays a critical role in ensuring that survivors of violence, abuse and exploitation not only access justice, but also receive healing and hope.

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