…as CACLAZ launches a continuous programme on social-psycho support
Beatific Gumbwanda
CHIREDZI-Chief Neromwe born Clemence Madzingo recently launched a probe through his village heads to call out parents of children who are filling potholes in exchange for money along Chiredzi-Jerera highway in ward 17, his area of jurisdiction.
Chief Neromwe labelled the practice a form of child labour which traditional leaders, government and various Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) have made great strides to put to an end.
Speaking during the launc on behalf of Chief Neromwe, Joseph Matumba said their motive is to establish the names of parents of children who are filling potholes along the highway in exchange for money.
“I have been seeing children along the highway filling potholes for money. I then summoned councillors and village heads to establish the parents of those children who are doing that. It is another form of child labour, where parents are making a living through these children,” said Chief Neromwe.
He also welcomed the initiative from Coalition Against Child Labour in Zimbabwe (CACLAZ) and urged them to extend their charity into educating the girl child to focus on education more than marriage, which is causing a lot of marriage failures and abuse.
“A long time ago, young girls were being married to elderly people as it was part of our culture, which we nowadays need to do away with. This programme that you initiated for us is very good but we also need you to go an extra mile by encouraging these girls that you brought back from school to learn diligently.
“They should also be taught that education is their first husband and everything will then follow afterwards,” he added.
CACLAZ Projects Officer Esnath Ngandini said the programme they launched to promote children’s rights should be an on-going process even if their organization fails to fund for 2024.
“All present government departments, especially the Department of Social Welcome should be able to take this programme forward, whether CACLAZ is there or not in order to strengthen self-esteem in vulnerable children,” said Ngandini.
CACLAZ, a children’s rights organization with the thrust of reducing child labour through the provision of free, full-time, compulsory, quality education to all the children in Zimbabwe last week launched a continuous system on psycho-social support which is aimed at strengthening self-esteem of the vulnerable children in Chiredzi District at an event held at Kushinga Primary School in ward 7.
