Minister of Labour Vera Kamtukule has commended a local organisation called Mbedza Support Project for providing support to needy secondary school students in Zomba, Blantyre and Mangochi.
Kamtukule made the appreciation over Mbedza Support Project’s initiatives during commemoration of Child Labour Day at Bimbi in Zomba which was held under the theme ‘Universal Social Protection’ to End Child Labour’.
The minister said what the Mbedza Support Project was doing by providing support to the needy children is one of the ways of protecting children from child Labour.
“This is one way of protecting children against labour exploitation,” she said, adding that there is evidence that most needy children are exploited into child labour due to their vulnerability.
She therefore encouraged Mbedza Support Project to continue with supporting needy children to access secondary education.
Mbedza Support Project, Executive Director Peatry Green Mtodwa said the organisation was established to reduce poverty among young women by teaching them tailoring on top of providing them with sewing machines.
“We were established to improve the welfare of needy young women by teaching them designing and tailoring but also giving them sewing machines,” he added.
He said the organisation has also taught young men how to make fuel efficient stoves and encourages them to plant trees to conserve the environment.
Mbedza Support Project which is also involved in HIV Testing and Counselling was established in 2015 and it implements projects in Zomba, Mangochi and Blantyre where the organisation teaches young women to how make reusable sanitary pads to improve menstrual health among girls in schools.
