Dear Esteemed Readers,
We begin the month of June 2024 with full realization that we are entering the
second half of the year, which prompts a crucial question; are we making the right
progress towards our goals and targets for the year? It is time to reflect on our half year goals and revisit our plans. To achieve this, we must cultivate the correct
mindset in all our endeavours. Our goals are geared towards the development of
our country, and we must focus on this aspect to move forward.
As we work on our mindset, we must also dedicate time to rethinking how we
approach life. Malawians have a tendency of indulging in gossip and creating
stories without substance, and generally, we do not wish each other well. This
narrow thinking starts at a young age. In the village, it is believed that you cannot
run maize meal unless someone dies, implying that death is a prerequisite for
success. Similarly, if someone becomes rich, it is often attributed to a woman or
satanic influence. This narrative perpetuates the notion that Malawians cannot be
rich through hard work.
When someone becomes rich, they become a topic of discussion, whether male or
female. Conversely, when someone becomes poor, they are also a topic of
discussion. What is concerning is that Malawians spend most of their time
discussing people rather than discussing ideas that can improve their lives. We
need to learn from successful individuals and identify what we can do to emulate
their success.
June 2024 has two significant days that are crucial for children. We begin with the
commemoration of the International Day of Child Labour on June 12 every year. The theme for this year is “Let us act on our commitment: End Child Labour.” The
fundamental question is whether we are living up to our commitments or not.
Unfortunately, we often overlook domestic child workers who work on the streets,
selling goods. Moreover, some employers of these children are not committed to
child protection. We must keep our commitments and ensure that children are
protected.
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On June 16, we celebrate the Day of the African Child. The African Union theme is
“Education fit for the 21st Century,” which emphasizes investments in children’s
education to achieve the Africa Agenda 2063 and Malawi 2063. However, we are
concerned that while we join the world in celebrating this day, we have sad
stories of children in some schools with inadequate teachers. For instance, there
is a school in Chitipa where there are only two teachers, a husband and wife, and
the headmaster is the husband. We wonder how education can proceed in such
a school, and another school in Mzimba that was handed over to the government
but remains incomplete. As we celebrate the day with the theme of education fit
for the 21st century, we must reflect on the quality of education and ensure that
children are safe in these schools. If you are concerned about the safety of
children, you can call 116 or 5600.
Have a wonderful month of June.
