The Government has called for stronger partnerships with private organisations to improve the welfare of children living in residential care facilities, following a donation of food, clothing, dignity kits and school stationery by Agape Family Care.
Minister of Labour and Social Welfare Edgar Moyo said the support would help meet the needs of vulnerable children while reinforcing their dignity, security and sense of belonging.
Moyo’s remarks were delivered by Deputy Minister Advocate Mercy Dinha during the handover ceremony.
He said the donation was a practical demonstration of how partnerships between Government and non-state actors could strengthen social protection programmes.
“These are practical items, but their significance goes beyond the items themselves,” he said.
“For a child, having appropriate clothing, adequate food, school stationery and personal care items contributes to their sense of dignity, security and belonging.”
The minister said children living in residential care facilities often required additional protection and support because of the circumstances that had led them to seek care.
He said Government’s responsibility extended beyond providing shelter to creating environments where children could access education, receive proper care and develop their potential.
“Our responsibility is therefore not merely to provide shelter. We must endeavour to create environments in which children are cared for, protected, educated and supported to develop their potential,” he said.
Moyo acknowledged that while Government had the primary responsibility for social protection, partnerships were essential in responding to the scale and complexity of the needs of vulnerable communities.
He commended Agape Family Care for responding to identified needs within Government residential care facilities.
The minister also urged organisations and individuals supporting vulnerable children to ensure that their interventions protected the beneficiaries’ privacy and dignity.
He warned against treating children receiving assistance in ways that could make them feel diminished or inferior because of their circumstances.
“The support should reinforce the message that they matter, that their wellbeing matters, and that society has a responsibility to support them,” he said.
Moyo called on stakeholders responsible for distributing the donated items to ensure that the process was conducted fairly and responsibly, with the best interests of the children taken into account.
He also encouraged continued engagement between the ministry and Agape Family Care to ensure that future assistance was aligned with the needs of residential care facilities.
The minister assured the organisation that the donated supplies would be directed to the intended beneficiaries and used for their designated purpose.
He said the handover should mark the beginning of a stronger partnership in supporting children and other vulnerable groups.
“Today’s handover is an important demonstration of what can be achieved when different sectors of society work together around a common objective,” Moyo said.
“Our common objective is simple: to ensure that children are protected, supported and afforded the opportunity to grow and develop in conditions that uphold their dignity.”
The donation comes amid calls for coordinated efforts between Government and other stakeholders to strengthen the protection and welfare of vulnerable children.