By Patrick Ndawala
Machinga, September 22, Mana: Lilongwe United Transformation Movement (UTM) Youth Ambassadors, a youth arm of UTM over the weekend donated assorted items to a family with a child with disabilities in the area of Traditional Authority (TA) Mlomba in Machinga.
The donation comprising maize flour, sugar, soap and clothes was made through Tikondane Women Group whose members are engaged in small scale businesses at NsanamaTrading Centre.
Speaking on the sidelines of the donation, UTM’s National Executive Committee member, Jessie Kabwila, said the donation is a demonstration that the Tonse Alliance and UTM in particular care about the welfare of vulnerable people in society.
Kabwila who is also the UTM Youth Group’s matron said supporting women groups is very key in the current administration.
She said UTM realises the fact that the majority of the poor in society are women.
“As we are making this donation, we are also contributing to the fight against early pregnancies and child marriages. We know that no country can develop if teenage pregnancies and child marriages are rampant,” she said.
Kabwila observed that teenage pregnancies and child marriage have been on the increase in the country due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
She disclosed that the UTM Youth Group is also building networks of women and the youth to encourage each other on how best they can sustain their businesses.
“The poverty levels in our country are so alarming that we cannot overcome as individuals. We, therefore, need to create more opportunities by enhancing our networks so that we learn from each other,” Kabwila said.
Kabwila also disclosed that Lilongwe UTM Youth Group gets its funding from contributions from its members, saying it has made several donations even before winning the 2020 Fresh Presidential Elections.
Receiving the donation, Chairperson of Tikondane Women Group, Tereza Maitha was happy with the donation, noting that members will be encouraged to work hard towards assisting needy people in the area of TA Nsanama.
“We informed the UTM youth grouping about the charity work we do and they showed interest to help this vulnerable household,” Maitha said.
Evance Kasawala, a recipient of the donation thanked the UTM youth grouping for the donation, saying it has not been easy for him to feed the family whilst also looking after a child with disability.
Kasawala, therefore, asked people of good will to help him in constructing a habitable house.
“The house I am living in now is very dilapidated. During the rainy season we can’t sleep because the house leaks. It is even worse with our child because he cannot stand up nor sit down. He spends day and night sleeping,” he said.
