Group Village Head (GVH) Ching’anda, who hails from the area of Traditional Authority (T/A) M’biza in Zomba district, emphasized on the need to operationalize By-laws which were enacted in to curb human trafficking and migration in his area.
This traditional leader made these remarks during a Theatre for Development (TfD) awareness campaign which YONECO Cultural Troupe conducted in his area.
GVH Ching’amba singled out lack of information about human trafficking is one of the factors which are fueling the malpractice. The GVH urged his fellow traditional leaders to take a leading role in the in fighting against Trafficking in Persons (TIP).
“Human Trafficking is evil and has no place in this modern era. As chiefs, we need to take a leading role and ensure that we are enforcing the By-laws which we have in order to deal with the matter once and for all,” GVH Ching’amba said.
He revealed that a lot of children in his area have been trafficked to Mozambique after being promised greener pastures. The GVH stated that some are promised good jobs, marriages and even scholarships only to realize that these were simply baits. The traditional leader attributed the growing malpractice to poverty as well as ineffective community protection systems.
One of the parents present during the community awareness meeting, Rosemary Milopo, said it is unfortunate that poverty pushes parents entrust their children with strangers who take them to Mozambique and other parts instead of keeping them in school.
The activity was conducted as part of the 140 Days Campaign in Ending Human Trafficking and Migration.
