Evangelical Association of Malawi Awarded as Child Protection Champions

Nyasa Times
June 21, 2016

http://www.nyasatimes.com/evangelical-association-malawi-awarded-child-protection-champions/

Mkandawire and Evangelical Association of Malawi advocacy team at the awards

Evangelical Association of Malawi (EAM), an umbrella mother body of 122 Christian denominations and organizations in Malawi, was amongst the few stakeholders that were awarded on Monday in Lilongwe for their steadfast and resilient efforts in strengthening child protection in Malawi under the Eye of the Child Annual Award.

The Church mother body was awarded the Eye of the Child Annual Award alongside other religious bodies like Muslim Association of Malawi, Malawi Council of Churches, Quadria Muslim Association and the Seventh Day Adventist by the Eye of the Child Annual alongside other religious bodies like Malawi Council of Churches.

“We would like to thank the Eye of the Child, the Ministry of Gender, FAWEMA, and other partners for recognizing us for our great work in child protection. This is an encouragement to us, and it gives us the energies and an opportunity to do more so that the child is protected both spiritually and socially.

“As a church mother body we are more than committed to continue doing the good work we have started as part of our prophetic role to the world” said Reverend Francis Mkandawire the General Secretary of Evangelical Association of Malawi in reaction to the award.

According to Mkandawire, Evangelical Association of Malawi has since 2007 been highly involved in child protection advocacy mainly through the Citizen Participation project implemented in Lilongwe, Mchinji, Ntcheu and Nkhotakota and has made headways in addressing a number of child protection issues including child sexual abuse cases, child labour, and early child marriages.

In the individual category Hon. Justice Twea SC, Dr Mary Shawa, Retired Justice Esmie Tembenu, Traditional Authority Kachindamoto were also recognized for their expert leadership in child protection reform.

The event, which was graced by Malawi’s first lady Dr. Getrude Mutharika and Minister of Gender Honourable Jean Kalilani, also witnessed the launch of a child protection book “Betrayal of Trust” by Maxwell Matewele.

The Eye of Child Award 2015 was sponsored by Eye of the Child, FAWEMA and Ministry of Gender and was held at Capital Hotel in Lilongwe