A recent visit by officials from Needy Students Aid (NeSA) to Tukuyu Community-Based Childcare Centre (CBCC) in Mzimba North Constituency has exposed the dire conditions faced by children at the centre.
The CBCC, which has been recognized as one of the best-performing in the district, is struggling to provide quality education and care to children due to numerous challenges.
The centre’s grass-thatched building is in a state of disrepair, with a dusty floor and a hazardous toilet that is unusable during the rainy season.
Despite these challenges, the centre’s caregivers, who are volunteering their services without a salary, have managed to achieve remarkable results.
The centre has emerged as the best performer in the SRI project, as evidenced by a certificate of recognition from the Church of Central African Presbyterian (CCAP) Livingstonia Synod.
However, the caregivers are pleading for support to address the centre’s numerous challenges.
Olivia Ziba, a caregiver at the CBCC, lamented about the difficulties they face and appealed for government and well-wisher support to provide teaching and learning materials, rehabilitate the building, and provide a stipend for the caregivers.
Innocent Kamanga, an official from NeSA, assured the community that NeSA would mobilize funds to support the CBCC.
He appealed to the general public, including the government, to intervene, noting that Tukuyu CBCC has the potential to shape the lives of its students and contribute to the development of the community.
The challenges faced by Tukuyu CBCC are not unique and reflect the struggles of many CBCCs across Malawi.
It is imperative that the government, NGOs, and philanthropic individuals step in to provide the requisite support, recognizing that these centres are the bedrock upon which a strong foundation for quality education is built.
