With over 850 cases of child abuse reported in just five months, Mangochi District is facing a silent threat on the safety and well-being of its children.
At Malembo CCBC Model School in lakeside Mangochi, a group of children gather, their faces lit with curiosity and comfort. This is the Future Children’s Corner, one of over 140 community based child protection centres in Mangochi District.
For many like 17-year-old Fixon Trust Sambo, it is more than just a place to play. It is a safe space.
Fixon dreams of becoming a scientist, but like many adolescents growing up in Malawi’s vulnerable communities, his path is shaped by challenges. From poverty to peer pressure and emotional trauma. In this community corner, he finds tools to navigate it all.
“This centre has helped me deal with stress and boosted my confidence,” says Fixon, a Form Two student at Mangochi Secondary School. “I have learned how to protect myself and speak up,” he added.
Established in 2017 in Chilimba Village, Traditional Authority Nankumba, the Future Children’s Corner targets children between the ages of 6 and 18, helping them build resilience, raise self-awareness and respond to issues like abuse, child labour and exploitation.
These centres, supported by UNICEF Malawi with funding from the EU ECHO Project, offer psychosocial support, life skills training and safe spaces for reporting cases of violence or harassment.
Jacqueline Beluti, Child Protection Officer at the centre acknowledges a shift, as children now know their rights. They report, she says as they speak out. However, inadequate resources remain a challenge.
“Children now know their rights. They report. They speak out. But we need more resources. Many children bring issues that require deep emotional and physical support,” she said.
For 16-year-old Anifa Noel, a student at Nchema Secondary School, the centre provided refuge after a disturbing experience.
A man touched her inappropriately. That aside, she comes from a single parent family a situation which she said disturbs her.
But for her, the centre helps her to cope emotionally.
“I talked to a friend at the centre, and she helped me report it and get advice,” she said.
These spaces serve not only as emotional outlets but also as early warning systems in communities where cases of abuse often go unnoticed.
These safe spaces have been instrumental from funding to training community workers, providing counselling services and supporting awareness campaigns. Through this approach, children are now not only aware of their rights, but are actively involved in protecting themselves and their peers.
According to Samuel Chitseko, Assistant Social Welfare Officer for Mangochi District, 856 cases of child abuse were reported between January and May 2024 alone, including child labour, sexual exploitation and emotional abuse.
“Without consistent support, we risk losing the progress we have made,” he said.
Out of 27 community child protection workers, only 9 are on government payroll, while the rest volunteer and many drop out due to lack of incentives. According to Chitseko, this gap threatens the sustainability of child protection services at grassroots level.
Despite the growing urgency, government support remains limited. Mangochi District Council received K8 million in 2023–2024 and K10 million in 2024–2025 for social welfare activities. This amount according to officials is far from adequate, especially in a district with more than 141 children’s corners.
