On 13 August 2026, YONECO interacted with children aged between 10 and 15, some of whom were teen mothers, who wandering unsupervised at Tsoka Market in Lilongwe while their mothers were drinking in shebeens.
YONECO also spoke with some Tsoka Market committee members, who confirmed that many children reside in the market, seeking refuge under the bridge and in other unsafe areas within the vicinity.
The market authorities expressed a need for the children, particularly the teen mothers, to be supported with income-generating opportunities to enable them to find safer environments in which to live with their toddlers.
One 13-year-old child who lives within Tsoka Market revealed that his parents divorced. His father relocated from Lilongwe to Phalombe, leaving him and his siblings. The boy explained that his mother died immediately after, a scenario that forced him to migrate to Mozambique to stay with his grandmother.
“Life with my grandmother was very difficult; I had no option but to return to Malawi when I was 10 years old,” explained the boy.
Currently, Vincent sells water and uses the money to buy food. On some days, he makes no sales and resorts to begging to feed himself. Vincent bathes under Lilongwe Bridge, where water is available, and sleeps at Tsoka Market in slum-like conditions.
Vincent’s story illustrates how family breakdown and poverty compel children onto the streets and highlights why they urgently require support and protection.
#ChildProtection #ChildRights #Tithandizane
