MALAWI: Catholic Journalists Urged to be in the Forefront and Promote Child Care Reforms
Sam Kalimba
Catholic Journalists in Malawi have been urged to spearhead in disseminating information about care reforms and reintegration of institutionalized children which the Universal Church has embarked on and currently being implemented in four of the eight conferences in the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) region
Providing the training was Sr. Jecinter Okoth from the AMECEA Communications office on Saturday, August 26, in Malawi’s Catholic Diocese of Dedza’s lake shore side Chitsulo Cottage where the Association of Catholic Journalists (ACJ) held their 6th Annual General Meeting (AGM).
According to Sr. Jointer, care for children is an ongoing concern in the AMECEA region. She said that in the past few years, there has been a concern for promotion of family-based or community-based care for children in the society and that Catholic Institutions took up this initiative and began awareness creation of holistic care of vulnerable children moving away from taking care of the vulnerable children in institutions.
“In the region, there are four countries that have embraced Catholic Care (CCC) for children in the AMECEA Region and these area Kenya, Uganda, Zambia and Malawi. The aim of CCC is to help bring understanding to the people on the importance of having a holistic family and community-based care for the vulnerable children,” she said.
Sr. Jecinter explained further that “Most vulnerable children are taken care of in institutions including orphanages, homes that care for children who are physically challenged; rescue centres, which have a combination of children who have been abused sexually, physically and emotionally, children who are trafficked, those forced into some cultural practices such as Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), early marriages and other vulnerabilities.”
She told the 60 members of the ACJ who gathered for their AGM that in 1989 world leaders, including the Holy See, signed the ground-breaking United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) that unequivocally articulates a child’s right to a family. She told the Catholic media professionals that Family life promotes a positive sense of identity, security and belonging, and it supports community participation.
“Family life is the richest environment for acquiring cultural knowledge and life skills. Research has revealed that there are millions of children in institutions but nearly 80% of these children have at least a living parent Even though some children may not have both parents, these children have immediate families or relatives whom they could still stay with for full development. A suitable, family-like alternative is to be provided if need be. But we should realize that a child should grow up in a family environment, in an atmosphere of happiness, love and understanding,” she said.
Sr. Jecinter told the Catholic journalists that the Holy See has a special message on Child safeguarding and that the Pope believes that we cannot talk of child care without talking about child safeguarding since the two go hand in hand.
“Safeguarding vulnerable persons must be a priority for everyone in the church,” the nun said and referenced Pope Francis’ message that “Children are the joy and a gift of the family and of society.”
She narrated that the Pope says that a society that is not surrounded by children, that consider children a problem, and a burden, that society has no future. Hence the time has come, for people to work together to eradicate the evil of child abuse.
Emphasizing on the role of journalists in promoting care reforms, the Kenyan nun, said that reporting on Care reforms is enormous and media has the ability to make a negative or positive impact in the society concerning deinstitutionalization.
“Reporting helps in awareness creation and enlightenment of the public. Media can therefore promote advocacy on behalf of children for the good of their wellbeing,” Sr. Jecinter said adding that journalists work will eventually arouse public opinion and influence policymakers.”
The CCC initiative in the AMECEA region is currently being implemented in Kenya, Malawi, Uganda and Zambia.
During the same meeting Dr. Matthews Mtumbuka an upcoming and blossoming business person and a prolific engineer trained the Catholic Journalists in entrepreneurship and Catholicism. He asked the journalists to stop keeping on complaining but rather focus on their dreams if they are to do well in life.
Mr. Andrew Kavala of the Malawi Network of Older Person’s Organisations encouraged the reporters to report on the plight of the elderly in humanitarian responses.
Catholic Journalists from all the eight dioceses in Malawi gathered at the Bishop Chitsulo Cottage in the lake side district of Salima, Diocese of Dedza to fulfill their annual mandate to review the past year’s activities and map the way forward for the year to come. Rev. Fr. Francis Damaseke who is also the National Social Communications Coordinator presided over the AGM on behalf of the Bishop Chairman for the Social Communications at the Episcopal Conference of Malawi.
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