These are the words of the national coordinator for Child Protection and Case Management within the Ministry of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare during the Child Protection Case Management training of CFCM staff and volunteers earlier this month.
Child protection and safeguarding has been included in the syllabus at CFCM seminars since 2019. This has opened conversations and created awareness of an issue that is often hushed up. But Elevate and Joseph felt that CFCM should be doing more to protect children.
“It is very important for CFCM to be involved in child protection because a child is made up of soul, mind and body. And if a child is reached in all these ways it can easily make him see the love of God.” Joseph Jeke, CFCM staff team member
“Our work is to teach the Word of God to children. But if the child is facing any abuse in their life it is difficult to hear the Word of God. Then they need to see the love of God from us through protecting them from any abuse.” Elevate Mizinga, CFCM staff team leader
As a result, Elevate and Joseph organized for members of the CFCM team to receive training in Child Protection Case Management. The training was facilitated by the Ministry of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare, and was funded by The Russell Trust in Scotland, UK.
During the intense 5-day course the participants learnt the child protection issues experienced in Malawi, the procedures for managing cases of child abuse, the relevant laws, communication skills, crisis management, and the existing available services for child protection.
The participants learnt that many problems arise and laws are violated through ignorance of what the law says and ignorance of a child’s human rights.
“Some of the things I considered normal in my own area I now know are in truth abuse, violence, neglect or exploitation” Precious Bondo, CFCM trained Sunday school teacher from Nkhotakota
“A lot of children are facing abuse in their homes because of lack of understanding of what parental care should look like” Samson Kapangalika, CFCM volunteer trainer from Nkhata Bay
“I have learnt that most of the children in our communities are facing different violations of their rights and they don’t know and they suffer in silence. Even in churches there are cases of child’s rights abuse. I have also learnt how I can coordinate with other agencies to protect children from violations” Paul Gazeni, CFCM volunteer trainer and coordinator for Phalombe
They also learnt essential communication and interviewing skills for their role as case managers.
“We will meet traumatised as well as hostile clients. These are difficult to handle, therefore the case manager must be prepared with personal and professional skills to conduct interview with them” Fides Ng’ambi, CFCM volunteer trainer from Karonga
“I have learnt how careful the case manager must be in communication, to be sure to get true answers” Simeon Senifala, CFCM volunteer trainer from Mponera
They have all been motivated to change their own attitude and to make change happen in their communities.
“I will be an agent of change by sensitising people and children on the risks children have and how to handle them” Khumbo Mwase, CFCM volunteer trainer from Likoma Island
“This training has helped me to reach out to a child effectively with a holistic approach” Boster Tembo, CFCM volunteer trainer and coordinator for the Northern Region.
“In the past I thought that only organisations like Save the Children could protect the children, but this training has shown me that I have responsibilities to protect the children too” Elness Mpalo, CFCM volunteer trainer in Mzimba.
“The training will help my ministry much more than ever before for it will bring a child very close to God as he is reached in body, soul and mind. It will also help to expose those who do bad to children. There are some children who are hidden in home because of their status, like being disabled, and not allowed to participate at bible club. Being a child protection case manager I will work with those parents to let their children exercise their religious right.” Joseph Jeke
“This training will help me to work with an open eye so that children may not suffer violations of human rights starting from my family and then the wider community.. I have committed myself that I will be a very different man when handling these cases.” Paul Gazeni
“The training will help me to know how to protect the child from any abuse and to approach the leaders in the community and work together to protect the children. The training gives me authority to go out to speak about child protection without fear of other community rules .” Elevate Mizinga
The national coordinator for Child Protection and Case Management within the Ministry of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare attended one of the days of training, and commented: “We are happy that you are doing recommendable job reaching with the gospel and protecting children from abuse. To say the truth, the cases of child abuse are very high. Because of this we need more case managers in our country so that we can protect children. I am impressed with your team, you are well organised and you have spirit of team work. Let us join hands and save children.”
So now each of the participants is certified to act as a Child Protection Case Manager on referrals from their local Social Welfare office, as well as acting on any cases referred to them directly. As an organisation, Children for Christ Ministry can now use their accreditation by the government department to open new doors to expand community awareness of child protection issues, as well as gaining access into institutions like reformatory centres and community early childhood education centres. Village chiefs, who are often the ones who decide on safeguarding issues within their villages without any knowledge of the law and the services available, will recognise Children for Christ Ministry and be guided by their government-trained case managers.
CFCM trustee, Stanley Makatanje encourages CFCM to be like Jesus in Luke 18:15-16. The disciples were hindering children from coming to Him, and Jesus rebuked them for creating that barrier. “As children’s workers we need to show love to the children we are ministering to by making sure that they are safe from all abuses and discrimination. The abuses may hinder the children from being saved and also from listening to the good news of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Praise God that now CFCM have team members who have been equipped to meet the needs of abused and vulnerable children and change them both spiritually and physically. “CFCM will now be addressing the whole life of a child – the spiritual and the physical” Boster Tembo
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