Women Entrepreneurs Join Fight Against Child Labor, Trafficking at Malawi-Tanzania Border
Ireen Mwenelupembe, Karonga's district gender officer, welcomed the entrepreneurial women's participation as "a very reliable tool" to discourage child trafficking and labor.
KARONGA, Malawi— Women entrepreneurs and business networks operating near the Songwe border with Tanzania are being mobilized to help combat child labor and human trafficking in the area through peace-building efforts, writes Lusekero Mhango.
On Wednesday, the Pamoza Tingakwaniska Youth Organization held a meeting with women business owners to raise awareness about their potential role.
This led to the formation of a committee for the Mwandenga Women in Entrepreneurship group.
Victoria Mwakhwawa, the group's chairperson, highlighted how poverty fuels issues like child labor and trafficking, with youths lured by promises of work in Tanzania or taking menial jobs around the border that cause them to drop out of school.
"Due to poverty in families, young boys and girls prefer to look for greener pastures in Tanzania, often falling prey to the promises of agents. Others seek employment in restaurants and car washing spots around the border, leading to school dropouts," Mwakhwawa said.
She stressed their group's involvement will "expedite the process of curbing these vices" by collaborating with authorities, given their business ties and community ties make them well-placed to identify the problems.
Ireen Mwenelupembe, Karonga's district gender officer, welcomed the entrepreneurial women's participation as "a very reliable tool" to discourage child trafficking and labor.
"They will sensitize communities around the border so that children refrain from going to Tanzania, and also encourage parents to refrain from sending them out for labor," Mwenelupembe said.
The meeting was part of a peace-building project supported by the United Nations through its Peacebuilding Fund and implemented locally by Pamoza Tingakwaniska and the Foundation for Civic Education and Social Empowerment.
"We are engaging youths and women into entrepreneurship with the aim of mobilizing them on how they can play a role in addressing child trafficking, labor and reproductive health issues," said Gomezgani Mhango, Pamoza Tingakwaniska's programs manager.