AMECEA/CCC: “Each Child is a Gift and Has Right to Family,” Participants at CCC Convening Told

Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA

Human rights are universal irrespective of one’s age, gender, religion, ethnic or cultural background. The President of the Association of Consecrated Women in Eastern and Central Africa (ACWECA), has emphasized this message to participants at the convening for the Catholic Care for Children (CCC) that is ongoing in Zambia stressing that, “Each child is a gift and has right to family.”

In her welcoming remarks on Tuesday, August 29, Sr. Rosalia Sakayombo narrated that the right of a child to a family helps in full and harmonious development hence, “The family is where a child first comes to know love and belonging, where he or she first feels the “spark of God’s love.”

Sr. Sakayombo who is the Superior General of the Religious Sisters of the Holy Spirit affirmed during her speech that too many children are deprived of family care which is “so vital and foundational to healthy development across one’s life span,” adding a voice to Pope Francis’ message that, “Children are the joy of the family and of society … Children are a gift. Each is unique and unrepeatable.”

As the Zambian nun welcomed participants to the two-day conference, she appreciated the efforts made so far by various actors in promoting family-based care of children and also to win many hearts to understand this concern in the society.

“Over the course of decades’ governments, civil society organizations and communities of faith have mounted efforts to ensure all children can grow up in safe, nurturing families or family-like environments. Through these efforts the tide is to gradually reducing the placement of children in institutional care and embrace family and community-based,” Sr. Sakayombo said and stressed further, “Children need families, not institutions and no matter how well run an institution, it can never substitute for the love of a family. To thrive, children need the love and individual attention that families provide.”

She therefore appreciated the ongoing partnership noting that during this synodal year, it is a privilege to walk and work together “without living anyone behind particularly placing the children out of institutional care to nurturing, loving and caring families.”

The ACWECA President further called for a more strengthened partnership in the areas of family apostolate towards achieving a sustainable holistic Catholic Care for the Children saying, “It is my desire to see the CCC movement that is centered in holistic care for the Child, spread in the entire region for the benefit of all children who need care the most.”

On her part, Sr. Clare Moomba the Chairperson for Zambia Association of Sisterhoods (ZAS) backed up the idea of working together to emphasize the concern on care reforms for the wellbeing of children “today, which is preserving and preparing the future.”

“In this time and era, the need to sit together on one table and discuss issues pertaining to the protection and wellbeing of children is of vital importance. We are in the era, that families are faced with numerous challenges and the voice of the church is needed on how best families can be strengthened and supported,” Sr. Moomba said in a message read by Sr. Elizabet Muleya the ZAS Secretary General during the opening of the CCC convening in Lusaka, Zambia.

Sr. Moomba stressed that the church is a family of God, and the image of the family is “portrayed in the Holy Trinity, that of God, the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit.”