Project Coordinator for Tikondane Care for Children, under the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa (MSOLA), Sister Marie Sakina has expressed concern over the lack of support from stakeholders in sustaining care for street-connected children after reintegration.
Sister Sakina made the remarks during an open day event held at St. Maria Goretti Girls Catholic Secondary School in Lilongwe, the event that was aimed to highlight the challenges faced by the center and explore collaborative solutions with other stakeholders to improve care for vulnerable children.
She noted that economic hardship in many families continues to drive children onto the streets.
“When children are reintegrated into their families, if there is nothing to eat, they are likely to return to the streets. The absence of support services from other stakeholders is a serious challenge,” she said.
Despite these difficulties, Sister Sakina also shared success stories from the center, including improvements in education and behavioral transformation among the children.
Lilongwe Principal Social Welfare Officer, Derrick Mwenda echoed his concerns, describing the rising number of street-connected children in the city as worrisome.
He emphasized that the district has developed various strategies to ensure the sustainability of the reintegration process.
For the past 27 years, Tikondane Care for Children, operating under the MSOLA Sisters in the Archdiocese of Lilongwe. has provided shelter, formation, and pathways to reintegration for street-connected children across the city.
By Titus Jata Phiri