Maravi

Protect your children, Masebo urges parents

Protect your children, Masebo urges parents
Written by Allan Mulenga in Chongwe
Saturday, December 27, 2008 1:38:10 PM

CHONGWE MMD member of parliament Sylvia Masebo has urged parents to fight all the vices that affect children.And Masebo has expressed concern at the high number of children suffering from malnutrition in the district.

During a children’s Christmas party held at council chambers in Chongwe on Thursday, Masebo noted that child labour and child defilement were on the increase in the area.

“A collective effort is required by all of us to fight the vices that affect our children. Vices such as child defilement, child labour and many others should be monitored and fought with every inch of effort,” she said.


Masebo urged parents to support their children morally, socially and economically.

“I am aware that sexual abuse and child labour are on the increase. You will see that parents are engaging children in child labour by allowing them to sell things on the streets,” she said. “I know that this is not only happening in Chongwe but the vices are common in all other areas.”

Masebo said it was refreshing for her to be associated with the children in the constituency during Christmas celebrations.

“You see I have just come here to spend time with the children. It is so refreshing to be with the children on Christmas as area member of parliament. I have done this to show genuine love for the children in my area. We started by going to church and later we started enjoying ourselves,” she said.

Masebo commended well-wishers who helped her raise K10 million for the party which catered for over 500 children in the area.

“It is very nice dancing with the children. I have seen a lot of skills in them and generally there is really potential in children of Chongwe. I wish to take this opportunity to thank all the people who contributed to the children’s party,” she said.

And earlier during the tour of Chongwe district heath centre, where she distributed Christmas gifts to patients, Masebo expressed worry at the ever-increasing number of children suffering from malnutrition at the clinic.

“As the area member of parliament I am very worried about the number of children suffering from malnutrition in the area, as you can see from the tour of the clinic,” she said. “Sometimes there is even an element of negligence on the mothers as you heard from one of the mothers in the ward that the child is refusing to eat.”

Masebo however attributed the high incidents of child malnutrition to poverty.

“You see the reason why we have so many children suffering from malnutrition is that the living standards in Chongwe are very low,” said Masebo.

Labels: SYLVIA MASEBO

posted by MrK @ 1:38 PM