By Wanangwa Tembo

Kasungu, November 24, Mana: Child Protection Officer under Kasungu District Social Welfare Office, Sam Kamalonda has challenged foster parents to ensure that the orphaned children that they keep are properly protected from abuses and integrated into society.

Kamalonda said this in Kasungu on Saturday during a training for foster parents who are keeping orphaned children that were at the now-closed Anglican Community orphanage at Mtunthama in the district.

The orphanage was closed following the government’s campaign that the country move away from the institutional care model of supporting orphans to family or community-based care approaches where children grow in their home environment.

Said Kamalonda: “Many people are not aware of child rights. In this case, these parents are keeping children who were in an orphanage and they may look at them as a burden and end up abusing them.

“This is the right time to train them on relevant aspects of child rights and protection so that we help to guard against abuses towards the children and ensure a smooth integration of the children into the larger community.”

He said government is encouraging foster parenting hence, it is important that the parents are prepared to keep the orphaned children in a manner that does not expose them to harm.

Medicom Foundation, a Kasungu-based non-governmental organization organized the training, which also touched on modern agricultural practices for sustainable livelihood.

The organization’s management consultant, Kingsley Lupande, said children are well taken care of when they are in their homes, families and communities, which ensures a good psychological bond between the children, the family and the community.

“We believe that’s the way to go, moving away from the institutional care model of supporting orphans to family or community-based care model. Our focus is to help communities to succeed with limited resources available.

“Here we have also trained the caregivers on sustainable farming practices including manure making, so that they stand on their own and we hope that gradually we will reduce their dependence on artificial fertilizers,” Lupande said.

To further support them, Medicom Foundation donated maize seeds and will provide fertilizer and cash transfers so that families can meet immediate food needs. 

Levison Phiri, a parent from Traditional Authority Kapelula expressed gratitude for the training and the support.

“I keep 12 children, some my own, others orphans. I thought I had a huge burden but with this training, I see it differently,” he said.

With financial support from Medic Malawi, a United Kingdom-based charity, Medicom Foundation works in health, education and sustainable community development.