By Robert Kumwenda
The Executive Director for Step Kids Awareness (STEKA) Godknows Maseko has faulted government in the way it is handling the Childcare Protection and Justice Bill which was passed by parliament in 2010.
Among others the Bill aims at integrating the children that are in child protection centers like STEKA back to their families.
Maseko said there has not much commitment from the government in terms of making awareness for the public to know what is contained in the Bill and its benefits saying that since the Bill was passed the books were just left in the shelves.
“Did not the government orient the Traditional Leaders about the Bill nor did they inform the public about this Bill, now they are just rushing at integrating the children back to their families without looking at what make the child to be found in the street or to be dumped in the first place, “he said.
He said to him the act by government is just aiming at penalizing institutions that cares for vulnerable children because at the end of the day it is the child that will suffer.
Maseko officials from United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) said that they did a study in Rwanda at it worked and they want to bring it in Malawi but they are forgetting that Rwanda and Malawi are not the same saying that the problems that children in Rwanda are facing are not the problems that children are facing, besides that their culture are totally different.
“This is not the right time because the extended culture syndrome has completely died in Malawi, have we solves the problems that made the children to be found on the streets and not all the children that are dumped have people to support them.
“A place like ours is their only homes where they find everything that they need in life,” he said.
Maseko whose organization is looking after fifty six vulnerable children said he has no donor, he supports the vulnerable children through a little money he gets from the business he runs and is looking for well-wishers even donors to support him in his noble course.
He added that they have managed to secure land to start vocational centre as exit of the vulnerable children they are looking after.
Despite the challenges we are facing we are progressing and these challenges will not stop us from coming up with a vocational centre, he said.
Meanwhile, government has started inter-grading children back to their families from Chombo Children home and Samaritan Trust.
STEKA started in 2007 0n 2 August with the aim of assisting children who are in need of support and homeless.
