By George Mponda

Karonga, October 16, Mana: Senior Chief Mwirang'ombe of Karonga has called for collaborative effort between community and religious leaders in protecting youths inorder to ensure that their future is secured.

Mwirang'ombe said this, Tuesday during a community leaders conference on youth sexual reproductive health and rights attended by leaders from the areas of Senior Chiefs Wasambo and Mwirang’ombe, organized by Kachila Youth Initiative (KAYI).

"We need to work together and share ideas on how we can end child marriages, early pregnancies, alcohol and drug abuse which is very rampant among our youths in the communities. It is very shocking to see that girls as young as 15 are giving birth. You can imagine what that will do to their bodies when they reach 30 years.

"It very important that we borrow a leaf from what Senior Chief Kachindamoto did in Dedza to enforce strict bylaws which will protect our children to ensure they live healthy lives and achieve their goals. The commnity has trust in us to protect our children on behalf of God so let’s make a diffrlerence by setting a good future for them," he added.

On his part, Jabesi Nyirenda, Board Chairperson for KAYI said converging differemt stakeholders helps in sharing experiences on how best to protect the youth.

"These stakeholders have a huge part in the upbringing of children and bringing them together will help come up with best ways on how to protect youths in our communities by among other things advocating for youths to have acess to sexual reproductive health services," said Nyirenda.

Reverend Mac Kollings Chizumira of Central Africa Presbyterian church, said the church needs to reach out to youths with the word of God inorder for them not to get lost in worldly things.

"We reach out to as many youths as we can inordrer to help in behaviour change so that they become reliable citizens in future and follow the word of God as well,"Chizumira said.

The theme for the meeting was "Breaking the barrier on sexual reproductive health and rights for young people."

Kachila Youth Initiative with funding from the United Kingdom based Amplify Change is implementing Tubapoke Project in the areas of Senior Chief's Wasambo and Mwirang'ombe in Karonga.