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Rising to the challenge
By
Phillip Banda - 05-08-2002 |
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Some years ago in the vast coffee fields at Nakambwe, a division of I.Conforzi T&T; Ltd, a group of small boys and girls with their zipalo (small metal sheets for removing weeds) could be seen discussing the day. The fast ones got home early while the slow ones normally saw home in the afternoon. They called it kapherachoka (you leave as soon as you finish).
The children came from the company’s neighbouring villages of Chibwana, Ndarama, Chilambe and Kautuka, just to mention a few. They were not only at Nakambwe. Some were also weeding in the coffee fields or collected mbuni into katcheratchera (small sacks worn around the waist) at Glengary and Mikundi.
The same was the story inside the tobacco factory at the same company. Here, boys and girls sat in boxes with dry tobacco leaves on either side, doing what was called chikwalura (separating the leaf from the stem).
The atmosphere was noisy because the sound of the machines and conveyers that carried the leaf to the other side of the factory. It was coupled with people shouting on top of their voices as if it was market day.
They all worked hard to make money.
This was the state affairs at the company many years ago before the issue of child labour became hot in the country.
It was like this during holidays when children were getting temporary employment not only in this company but also other companies such as Bandanga, Naming’omba, Nchima in Thyolo. It was the same story in the other tea growing district of Mulanje.
The children normally came to the companies during their three-month long holiday.
“Those days, most of them were helping themselves. It was a time when school uniform was a must for every pupil and they many bought it for themselves. They also bought clothes and books. It was somehow good because they had no idle time,” recalls Allan Phiri of Waruma Village in Thyolo.
While some people still allege that there is still child labour in the estates, the estates’ authorities deny it.
Personnel Manager for I Conforzi in Thyolo Mac Gondwe puts it succinctly:
“We stopped it. In fact, some Ministry of Labour officers go round the estates to see if there are any underage workers. We attend all seminars on child labour,” said Gondwe.
He said employing young persons has very drastic effects on the lives of the children and that the move against it is aimed at improving the lives of the children of Malawi.
“In fact, you might also wish to know that those days when we used to employ many children on temporary basis, many left school because they loved money. Many hated school and opted for employment.
“It was not a surprise, therefore, that people have always said people in the North go far with their education. It is because there are not many companies up North and the only thing that keep children busy is school,” he said.
District Education Manager for Thyolo Sam Kalanda also noted there is change in the district.
He said although he did not have exact statistics on the extent of the problem, there is a move towards eradicating child labour in the district.
“The good thing is these companies have got their own committees which discuss child labour. For example, there was high dropout of pupils at Bandanga Estate but the company denied employing underaged workers around it,” said Kalanda, who partly attributes the problem to parents.
“Sometimes it is the parents who encourage their children not to go to school. They let the children guard houses while they go to work in the estates. In some cases, parents working in these estates find jobs for their children,” he said, adding there are efforts in many estates to do away with child labour.
Malawi Congress of Trade Union President Ken Williams Mhango was once quoted in The Nation as saying low incomes in many families in this country has resulted in unemployment and thousands of Malawian children spending lives in shops and in streets. This, he said, is another factor that has resulted into many school dropouts.
The issue of child labour is not restricted to estates only, according to survey by Unicef some years ago.
Unicef resident representative in Malawi Catherine Mbengue says: “The Malawi health and demographic survey conducted in 2000 tells us children as young as 5 years are exposed to hazardous work at home, in estates, on the streets and elsewhere. This is exploitative labour and it is our duty to eradicate this evil.”
Labour Minister Alice Sumani bemoans the development saying while it is government’s wish to alleviate poverty, it is sad that masses of children are trapped in child labour today .
“Poverty alleviation will not be achieved if institutions continue employing children because of poverty. Poverty is a vicious circle that perpetuates itself,” said Sumani.
MCTU general secretary Francis Antonio said child labour is evil because “it deprives the children of their right to education since they spend their time doing jobs which are harder than their tender bodies can allow.”
Although there are no statistics about the extent of child labour in Malawi, Malawians should move with resolve to check the problem.
Gondwe, therefore, said companies should make sure that they do not employ the underage.
“Parents should be in the forefront to make sure children go to school so that they become self-reliant in future. Allowing children to work is creating trouble for the kids,” he said.
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