By Andrew Mkonda

Lilongwe, September 17, Mana: Center for Advancement of Youth Empowerment (CAYE) a local Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) based in Mzuzu says there is need for a collaborated effort in providing required necessities to Community Based Childcare Centers (CBCC).

CAYE Executive Director Aaaron Kumwenda, made the call Tuesday in Dzalanyama in the area of Traditional Authority Masula in Lilongwe during a meeting with Masula Community Based Organization Network Executive Committee members.

Kumwenda noted that many CBCC in the country do not have required materials for both learning and teaching the children, a development he said is worrisome.

“We are intending to work hand in hand with 20 CBCC in the area of Traditional Authority Masula by among other things, establishing backyard gardens and woodlots so that Caregivers should be raising some money from it, for their upkeep and providing nutritious food to the children,” he said.

Kumwenda further said the project intended to build capacity building among Caregivers and at the same time reduce the teacher-pupil ratio in these CBCCs which he said it is still very high.

“We noted that in TA Masula, there are over 80 CBCCs, but out of 15 Caregivers that were trained in 2015, only three Caregivers are still working. This means that in other CBCCs, children just go there to play, which is bad,” he said.

Commenting on the matter, Masula Community Based Organization Chairperson Shaviel Grevazio said there is need to improve CBCCs infrastructure saying many of them are in dilapidated state.

Grevazio then thanked CAYE for planning to carry out different interventions of CBCCs in the area, a development he said will increase enrolment of children in CBCCs.

Speaking in a separate interview, Child protection worker in Traditional Authority Masula Friday Chawantha thanked CAYE for the initiative saying it will boost CCBCs activities in the area.

Chawantha then asked CAYE to consider training Caregivers and provide them with necessary teaching and learning materials saying many of them are not trained making their job difficult.

“The team of Caregivers that we have now have got passion on their job, but the main challenge is that they are not well supported. We want to thank CAYE for coming in to complement government’s efforts in improving the standards of CBCCs in the country,” he said.

CAYE is working in improving the standard of CBCCs in Traditional Authority Masula in Lilongwe with funding from Their World Charity Fund in the United Kingdom.