Save the Children, LUANAR partner in addressing children’s challenges

Save the Children International and the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR) have signed an agreement that culminates into joint efforts towards addressing challenges that children face in Malawi.

Save the Children has since described its collaboration LUANAR as a major milestone in addressing critical challenges affecting children’s well-being at the grassroots level.

Speaking on Thursday during the signing ceremony of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at Save the Children’s offices in Lilongwe, Bekimpilo Khanye, Cluster Country Director for Zimbabwe and Malawi, described the partnership as a key enabler in delivering impactful services for children.

Khanye noted that working with academic institutions like LUANAR will help unlock new opportunities in tackling pressing issues such as climate change, which significantly affect children’s lives and he called on stakeholders to bridge long-standing gaps in climate action and environmental sustainability.

He also revealed that robust work plans are in place to track and monitor the implementation of agreed commitments within the MoU.

On his part, Professor Emmanuel Kaunda, Vice Chancellor of LUANAR, described the partnership as a positive step toward empowering youth and children to become responsible citizens who understand the country’s environmental and agricultural challenges.

“Young people have innovative ideas that can help shape a better future. With the right support, they can become tomorrow’s policy makers and leaders,” said Prof. Kaunda.

He further acknowledged the need to build youth capacity to appreciate and respond to changes in biodiversity, environmental management, and the effects of climate change.

Meanwhile, over the past two years, Save the Children has been organizing Children’s Summits in collaboration with LUANAR, alongside initiatives such as the Agricultural Technology Challenge for youth and research programs focused on young people.

However, both institutions acknowledged that gaps remain in knowledge, awareness, and innovation among the youth.

To address this, the newly signed MoU will run for five years under its first phase, with plans to expand partnerships to other universities and institutions to amplify impact.

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