As a way of combating Coronavirus, Traditional Authrority (T/A) Mwenemisuku in Chitipa district has established bylaws in his community.
T/A Mwenemisiku noted that there are some traditional ways that are used in drinking places that may spread Covid-19 in his community.
He said that the practice of drinking beer using one cup and stirring stick on a group in drinking places has been banned.
He also said that funeral ceremony processes are going to be done faster and that only few close relatives of the deceased person will be allowed to attend the ceremony.
This was said by T/A Mwenemisuku in one of the sensitization meetings funded by Mastercard Foundation and Echna Giving that Creative Center for Community Mobilization (CRECCOM) conducted on Covid-19 at T/A Mwaulambya, Kameme including Mwenemisiku in the district.
As students are home due to Covid-19 lockdown in schools, CRECCOM involved the District Social Welfare Office of Chitipa district to look into issues of gender-based violence and child abuse that might hinder vulnerable groups in the district like girls and women.
It was found out that there are cases of child marriages and child trafficking at T/A Kameme involving 4 girls. One is from Chinthekwe Community Day Secondary School, and three from surrounding primary schools in the T/A, and are in Tanzania working as housemaids.
The District Social Welfare Office said it will make immediate follow-ups on the cases in the community.
Being a border district, community members also raised a concern that there are porous areas in the district where people from both Tanzania and Malawi can easily cross the borders.
CRECCOM’s Programs and Communication Manager, Linice Sanga, reacted on how they have acted on the matter with its stakeholders in the district.
“We have engaged with the police through the Officer in Charge and the issue has also been brought to the attention of the District Council in Chitipa,” said Sanga.
Motorcycle Operators in the district raised some concerns on how keeping a social distance of 1 meter apart, as one of Covid-19 preventive measures, will affect their businesses.
Responding on the matter, Sanga uttered that they worked with the police to deal with the issue.
“We engaged the police so that they should work closely with those in the transport sector to ensure enforcement of the regulations that have been given by the Central Government through the President of Malawi, Professor Peter Mutharika and Ministerial Committee that is working on Covid-19,’ said Sanga.
During the meetings, CRECCOM delivered a series of awareness messages in form of demonstrations, flyers, and posters among others.
By Lonjezo Idrissa
