Tikondane
MSOLA Project for Street Children
Lilongwe (Malawi)
WHAT IS TIKONDANE?
Tikondane Care
for Children in/off the Streets (hereafter referred to as TCCS) is a Faith
Based Organization (FBO) whose unique contribution is the “hands-on” care and
protection of abused, neglected, vulnerable and marginalized children. The
project was initiated by the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa (MSOLA)
in collaboration with the Diocese of Lilongwe and will this year clock 15 years
of service.
Children’s
stories reveal the struggles and hopes of our people. The political crises and
increasing poverty continue to be root causes of the abuses affecting children.
Tikondane have noted domestic violence as one of the biggest factors
that push children out of their homes. Through the dedication and commitment of
Tikondane staff, the advisory board, the partner and all the close
collaborators, many children have been reached in 2012. Most of them have
accessed their rights; many have been protected from abuse and a few have been
saved from death.
AN EXAMPLE AMONG MANY
Vanessa Madaliso (not her real name)
writes: I came to know Tikondane project since 2004. One of the social
workers found me at night on the street after I had run from home because of
violence in my family. Tikondane have been helping me since then. In
2004, they send me to a boarding school be-cause I could not stay at home. I
was then in standard three. They provided supports that I needed at a boarding
school. I also used to spend my holidays at Tikondane and Tikondane provides
with my needs. As of now, I am at Likuni Girls Secondary School in form Two and
the Tikondane people are still paying fees for me until now they are
still supporting me. When I am sick, they took me to the hospital, giving me
food and washing my clothes. They follow the instructions from the Doctor.
Tikondane social workers visited my family and they talked with my parents
since then there have been a lot of changes: They have stopped shouting at me
in any how and beating me. They have started showing love to me. The
relationship with my parents is growing. Now I can spend my holidays at home.
CHALLENGES
We have noticed that most young children who
are on the street are commuting from their homes (in Area 36, Chinsapo, Likuni,
Ngwenya and Chigwirisano) and we are reflecting on the best way to work with
parents and the community in this new development. The number of children being
used for begging by disabled parents has increased again, having begun during
Ramadan, and most of those children are still on the street begging. We have
also noticed an increase in the number of street girls; some are renting a
house in Area 36 but they are not open to work with us. They don’t want
re-integration, which, for the time being, is the service we can offer them.
We were affected by the death of three
children living on the street (a 15 year-old boy burnt to death by mob justice
after robbery in a shop, another boy who was burnt to death and a 16 year-old
girl who was HIV positive). A special challenge is posed by the children in the
streets who have been infected with HIV and are suffering from AIDS. Some of these
children have access to pediatric ART but living on the streets, they do not
adhere well to the medication. Moreover, they lack adequate food to sustain
themselves and some continue to engage in sexual activities with other
children.
Sometimes, some children from the streets and
who are living in complete despair have caused trouble at the shelter. They
have thrown bottles and stones in order to provoke us to call the Police so
that they can be taken to the cells. On our part we handled this situation
amicably and with a lot of penitence and compassion. A day later these children
have calmed down and have come to apologize, which has given
us the opportunity to talk with each individual.
There were many
children returning to the shelter last year, perhaps because of the current
economic situation. We were particularly challenged by returnees who had been
escorted for re-integration to far distant homes, and we are exploring other
avenues to help them.
Information provided by Vicky Chiharhula, MSOLA
