By Brighton Chimsinde

Mchinji, January 24, Mana: Minister of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare Jean Sendeza has condemned the tendency to abuse orphans and vulnerable children, which takes place in some orphanages in the country.

Sendeza made the remarks on Wednesday when she visited Home of Hope Orphanage in the area of Chief Nyoka in Mchinji District.

The minister said her office has received reports that orphans and vulnerable children are being abused in other orphanages, which is contrary to laws of the country.

“Orphan centres that are doing such malpractices will face the law because it is inhumane and contrary to the laws of a democratic country like Malawi,” Sendeza said.

However, the minister commended Home of Hope Orphanage Centre for offering holistic support to the children at the centre.

“It is very encouraging that the centre is providing food and accommodation, and on top of that it is also providing nursery, primary, secondary, and vocational training to them. The approach is in line with Malawi’s Vision 2063 which stresses human capital development,” she said.

On the issue of inadequate resources at the vocational centre, she assured that her ministry would liaise with the Ministry of Labour to see how best they can support them to produce reliable products.

We appreciate that the institution has a technical college that imparts technical skills to needy children for them to be self-reliant. But resources are very limited; therefore, I will make everything possible to discuss with my fellow Minister of Labour to provide them with the necessary support in terms of instructors' salaries and equipment support,” she said.

Responding to food shortage at the centre, she assured that her ministry, in collaboration with the Department of Disaster Management (DoDMA), would intervene.

The founder of the institution, Rev. Thomson John Chipeta, who is aged 96, described the minister’s visit as very important.

“The institution has over 650 children, so the minister’s visit is very paramount because she has come and seen for herself what Home of Hope is. Someone said seeing is believing," said Rev Chipeta.  

Rev Chipeta also appealed to other line ministries and non-governmental organizations to give support to the institution with materials and monetary support for it to sustain the agenda of relieving sufferings of the orphans and vulnerable children.

"We do farming but we do not produce enough. We are requesting support in the form of cash or materially for us to feed and educate them accordingly for them to be self-reliant and productive citizens to the country’s development in the future,” Chipeta said. 

Mchinji District Council Chairperson Dorothy Mussah thanked the minister for sparing her time to visit the centre, saying the visit is a motivation to the institution and the council.

According to Rev Chipeta, Home of Hope was founded in 1998 with only K100.