The poor little girl with her sibling at her back
* We are living in a fragile society where the support structure collapsed a long time ago
* I blame the system and its leaders, who seem to turn a blind eye such issues
By Duncan Mlanjira
A nutrition intern at Chiradzulu District Hospital has shared a heart-rending plight of a 9-year-old girl-child, who visited their clinic to receive nutrition handouts for her 11-months-old sibling.
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The an unidentified intern shared the story with social ills commentator, Gerald Kampinikiza on his Facebook page that the 9-year-old girl carried her sibling on her back — having been sent by her older sister, who was busy with a piece work to earn money for their family upkeep.
The Chiradzulu Hospital nutrition intern reported to Kampinikiza that one of their duties is to conduct health supervisions in the district for children who are under CMAM.
He said in their tasks, they conduct home visits and health center supervisions and during supervision they discovered the 9-year-old had brought to the clinic her 11 months old sibling.
Touched and concerned by this, the interns followed her home where they discovered she lives with other young siblings having lost their mother when this particular little one was just 7 months.
He reported that child-headed family comprise 9 siblings — the first born is married and the other siblings are aged 14, 13, 9, 5, 4, 3 and the 11-months-old.
The nine-year old who took the last born and her 13-year old sister named Christina are the ones taking care of the home. On that particular day, Christina is reported to have been away seeking piece work.
“So our concern is the girls and the other under-5 children,” reported the intern on Kampanikiza’s Facebook page. “They have a home but they don’t have [livelihood] needs — even clothes and blankets.
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“They don’t go to school as they dropped out after their mother died. Brenda — the nine-year-old — was in Standard 2 and she is now taking care of the little one.”
The intern said he shared this sad development on his status and someone else advised him to reach out to Kampanikiza who might offer some help so that the social welfare office and other staleholders can assist the child-headed family.
Reports reaching Maravi Express are that the message was sent to director of health and social services for Chiradzulu District to trace them the post attracted an avalanche of emotional responses from the public with several sharing the message in various WhatsApp groups.
In his comments, Brave Charles Phenduka said he blames the system and its leaders, who seem to turn a blind eye such issues while using “public funds for unnecessary things just for them to enjoy good lives in positions while people are languishing in poverty like this”.
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“Where are the churches, the village headmen, the school teachers? — because they should be the very first to pass on information to our relevant authorities to come to the rescue of young girls suffering like this one.
“This is a very sad story and it shows clearly that our leaders have failed to address problems that people are encountering in our country.”
Nachanza Hazrat said: “And I am here crying that I wish my dad was alive, yet there are others who literally have nothing — yet so young. Lord, please forgive me for taking for granted and being ungrateful for all the things you bless me with — my heart aches for these kids.”
Minister of Gender & Social Welfare Patricia Kaliati
Some people suggested that maybe these kids should be taken into but Anjanani Dee Kay said while this was “heartbreaking, the kids need a mother figure because taking them to an orphanage may be a long term solution”.
Richard Lajabu also thought there was need for immediate attention and long term solutions, “much as I agree with many of you on the adoption but we should also consider offering a quick solution to the current problem of lack of basic needs like clothes and others”.
Lawyer Wellington William Kazembe also agreed, saying: Let’s start with short term solutions — food, clothes and shelter while we are thinking of long term solutions.
“Lets give them the basic necessities first. I need to know their village and TA so that some of us can visit them.
Hellina Mwimba wondered while the intern didn’t first reach out to officials responsible for the area responsible for child protection to which Paul Duncan the country’s social welfare structures are poorly funded to support these cases.
“The Chiefs and community members are hardly in support of these cases except when there is a funeral while extended family members bury their heads in the sand.”
He also said religious institution aren’t even supportive and in his conclusion he hinted that “we are living in a fragile society where the support structure collapsed long time ago”.
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