Project Child Malawi saves next generation, targets urban areas

Project Child Malawi is operating a three-year multimillion project aimed at creating HIV and Aids free generation by eliminating vertical transmission in populous townships of Blantyre city.

The project Zero Deaths-Counting Down to Zero Children with HIV and Aids is currently running in townships of Ndirande, Machinjiri and Makhetha and is set to spread out to others parts of the city including rural areas.

Project Child Malawi Director, Mussa Zalira disclosed to Nyasa Times during a three day capacity building and leadership for Community Based organizations in Ndirande Township, the project was expecting to spend about K14 million annually to eliminate vertical transmission-mother to child HIV transmission.

Project Child Malawi Director, Mussa Zalira
Project Child Malawi Director, Mussa Zalira

“Our focus is to save the next generation through implementation of Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) as well as building capacity of organizations dealing with issues of HIV and AIDS. It is possible to have an HIV and AIDS free generation. We don’t want the next generation to experience problems relating to the pandemic,” said Zalira.

He said through the project, his institution would be training traditional leaders who, in turn, would be encouraged to set-up by-laws to curb reliance of traditional birth attendants by expectant mothers.

Under the project, Project Child Malawi is expected to hold awareness campaigns aside training beauty salons owners who will be used as models to educate their clients on the importance of PMTCT.

“We are currently targeting highly populated areas as they have been discovered to be having high cases of HIV and AIDS. We believe PMTCT is a proper module to protect lives of unborn babies,” added Zalira.

According to Chairperson for seven CBOs in Ndirande, Sinizio Makawa HIV and AIDS situation in the township was worsening by day and appreciated the capacity building trainings implemented by the Project Child Malawi.

Makawa said: “There is a need for many people to understand the importance of PMTCT besides advocating for behaviour change. I feel Malawi can win the battle against HIV and AIDS only if we adopt proper methods of dealing with the issue like PMTCT”.

Facilitator, Cyprian Chimbiya said through the capacity building workshops and other related trainings would help to empower CBOs and other players in the fight against the pandemic to be able to achieve their goals.

“Based on survey conducted, it was noted that most of the community based organizations were failing to successfully implement their projects due to lack of knowledge and skills, and this project under Project Child Malawi is there to address such challenge so the country should be able to save the next generation,” explained Chimbiya.

Zero Deaths-Counting Down to Zero Children project is being funded by Positive Action for Children Fund of United Kingdom (UK), and Project Child Malawi is implementing it with support from other stakeholders like National Aids Commission (Nac), Blantyre City Assembly (BCA) as well as District Health Office (DHO).

Participants to the workshop: Zero Deaths-Counting Down to Zero Children project
Participants to the workshop: Zero Deaths-Counting Down to Zero Children project

Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :

Sharing is caring!

Follow us in Twitter
Read previous post:
BB drawn against Wanderers, Silver Vs Zim’s Caps: Zambezi Cup

Malawi’s biggest football clubs Bullets FC and Mighty Wanderers would face each other in the semifinals of the Zambezi Challenge...

Close