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Transcript/ScriptMALAWI ORPHANAGE - Padatha
HEADLINE: An Orphanage in Malawi Provides Shelter to Vulnerable Children
TEASER: 28-year-old Temwani Chilenga, is a teacher by profession, whose mission reaches beyond the classroom as she provides support to orphans and other vulnerable children
PUBLISHED AT: 07/21/2024 at 4:59 pm BYLINE: Chimwemwe Padatha CONTRIBUTOR: DATELINE: LILONGWE, MALAWI VIDEOGRAPHER: Chimwemwe Padatha VIDEO EDITOR: ASSIGNING EDITOR: Africa Division Editors SCRIPT EDITORS: KEnochs; Baragona VIDEO SOURCE (S): VOA Original PLATFORMS: WEB __ TV X RADIO X TRT: 3:06 VID APPROVED BY: KE TYPE: TVPKG/RADIO
EDITOR NOTES: ))
((INTRO))
[[In Malawi, according to the UN’s most recent statistics: over 15 percent of children under the age of 18 are orphans, due in part to the high prevalence of deaths from HIV and Aids. Now, a group called the Zoe Foundation is trying to give these at-risk children a future. Reporting from Ndodani village in Lilongwe, Malawi, Chimwemwe Padatha has more.]]
((NARRATION))
This is the Zoe Foundation, a place where more than 100 orphans and other vulnerable children in Malawi’s Ndodani village can find shelter.
28-year-old Temwani Chilenga founded the organization, named after her own daughter. She is a teacher by profession but wanted to do more.
((Temwani Chilenga, Zoe Foundation Founder)) ((Female, In English))
“I started the foundation because of the problems that many homeless orphans were facing. So, I thought of starting the foundation to take care of them and provide (for) their needs.”
((NARRATION)) Chilenga says the foundation helps to give the children what they need for success later in life.
((Temwani Chilenga, Zoe Foundation Founder)) ((Female, In English)) “We are providing education, food, shelter, spiritual help, and different skills like farming, tailoring, carpentry and some other things.”
((NARRATION))
Some teachers in the community like Nyuma Banda are now offering free education at the orphanage.
((Nyuma Banda, Volunteer Teacher)) ((Female, In English)) “Most of the students have benefited, indeed, here because they weren’t going to school before. They were lacking school funds, so most of them were just street kids. So, with the coming in of this initiative, it has brought a big impact on them. Most of them are coming to school.”
((NARRATION))
Fourteen-year-old Judith Dzonzi is one of the children at the orphanage and says the foundation has made a difference in her life.
((Judith Dzonzi, Zoe Foundation Resident)) ((Female, In English))
“At first, I had nowhere to stay, and no one looked after me. When I met Temwani (Chilenga), my life greatly changed. She pays for my school fees and does a lot of things that I need in my life.”
((NARRATION))
Child rights activists like Madalitso Chidumu Baloyi are supportive but says there is a role for government as well.
((Madalitso Chidumu Baloyi, Child Rights Advocate)) ((Female, In English))
“The question of sustainability comes into play because it is the same government that should provide guidelines that will ensure that these interventions are sustainable. Because if any organization decides to do that, and by the end of the day in the process they close, it causes problems to the government and Malawi in general.”
((NARRATION))
Most orphanages in Malawi are private institutions that get government help to operate. The government says it holds the orphanages to a high standard of care.
((Radio: Justin Hamera is child affairs deputy director.))
((Justin Hamera, Child Affairs Deputy Director)) ((Male, In English))
“Such institutions who are caring for children should be able to recruit a skilled social worker who should be at that institution so that can carry easily the duties that the ministry usually recommends for providing care and protection to children.”
((NARRATION))
Chilenga says she hopes to see more initiatives like hers focused on helping orphans in Malawi work towards a brighter future.
((Chimwemwe Padatha, VOA News, Ndodani village in Lilongwe, Malawi.))
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
Subtitles / Dubbing AvailableNo
NetworkVOA
Embargo DateJuly 22, 2024 15:23 EDT
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
