BLAYACO sensitizes youths in child protection and crime prevention

Bwalo La Ana Youth Active Community Organization (BLAYACO), a Chemusa-based organization in partnership with Youth Achievers for Development (YAD), Chirimba Community Policing Coordination and Chirimba-Mbayani-Chemusa Child care Social Welfare department on Friday organized a sports festival aimed at sensitizing youths in crime prevention, child protection and issues to do with sexual reproductive health and human rights at Chirimba Primary School in Blantyre.

Speaking during the sensitization which drawn the attention of mass youths who came to play and watch various sports activities arranged, the Executive Director for Bwalo La Ana Youth Active Community Organization ( BLAYACO), Mr. Noel Humphrey Liwindo said as an organization, they believe in enhancing community development through sports and culture hence organized the sports festival.

“As an organization, we believe in enhancing community development. This community development enhancement is done through various sports activities we organize with so as to impart our messages to masses”, Said Liwindo.

Liwindo enlightened more on child protection and crime prevention.

He said for girls, they should not accept someone calling them madam or receive any amount of money from people they don’t know as some do this for a reason.

“At your age, don’t receive money from people you don’t know or even if you know them, don’t do that. Some people do that for a reason. They will ask you for a sexual favor which will result in spoiling your future by either contracting STIs or child pregnancies.

On crime prevention, Liwindo argued youths not to engage in excessive beer taking as this promotes crimes in the communities. He said instead, they should work hard with their or school or businesses for them to be reliable citizens in future.

“For those of you who take beer excessively and have nothing else to do for you to earn a living, you must stop from now. For example, you drunk yesterday and work up today you don’t have nothing for you to buy beer again, what else can you do?,  Obviously, it’s robbery and stealing which may result you in committing various crime cases. I argue you to work hard with your studies so as for you to become reliable future leaders, He said.

In his words, Chirimba Community Policing Coordinator, sub inspector Harry Makumbi agreed with Liwindo saying if the youths indeed experience any form of abuse, they should immediately report these cases to their nearby police unit for an immediate action so as for them to be protected from such abuses. He also said youths have to avoid themselves engaging in use of drugs and abuse as these result in early marriages, child pregnancies, committing crimes hence spoiling their future.

“If you experience any form of abuse, go to your nearest police station or you can go to BLAYACO and report this for an immediate action on such issues. We have power to arrest those people who are abusing you. If someone is asking you for a sexual favor, report them to us, we will deal with them.

“Even if the one who is abusing you is your relative, don’t feel pity of him or her, report them to police, community leaders or BLAYACO officials as what they are doing will one day spoil your future”, said Makumbi.

On his part, the case Manager for Blantyre Social Welfare department Mr. Lameck Gombwa thanked BLAYACO for organizing such great event saying it will help in sharpening good leaders who will lead Malawi tomorrow.

“We are very thankful to BLAYACO for organizing this event. As one of those who promote in child rights, child protection and crime prevention in the communities, we are happy that they are some organizations who are working hand in hand with us to make sure that children are protected from all forms of abuses and that there is always peace in the communities we live. This is a great move and we argue for the continuation”, thanked Gombwa.

In his comment, Gift Paliyani who is in standard 5 at the school also thanked BLAYACO for choosing their school to be a venue of the event. He said from what they heard from the event, they will now be able to identify forms of abuses and where to report them.

“It might happen that we were abused but because we did not know where to report these, we were just staying. With coming in of BLAYACO, we have now enlightened on where we can report such cases of abuses for the immediate action. Even here at school, we experience some abuses but at first we were just keeping them to ourselves, now we have been given a way to follow for us to be protected. For this, we thank BLAYACO and all their fellow partners for organizing this event here at Chirimba Primary School”, thanked Paliyani.

Among the sports activities the youths enjoyed after the sensitization were bikoko, football, netball, triple jump, sack race, egg race and running race.