Save the Children Hands Over Vehicles and Motorcycles to VAC Project Partners, Courtesy of the European Union (EU)

On Friday 25^th July 2014, Save the Children’s Malawi Country Office celebrated the arrival of three vehicles and four motorcycles as assets provided with support from the European Union for a Child Protection project that fights Violence Against Children (VAC) in Malawi.

Two vehicles and two motorcycles were handed over to the two implementing partners operating in Balaka and Ntchisi districts, namely; Centre for Human Rights and Institute for National Social Initiatives (CHINANSI) and Ntchisi Organisation for Youth Development (NOYD).

Supporting implementation of this project are Government District Social Welfare Officers in these two districts who will get the other two motorcycles. At national level, the project is supported by three collaborative partners i.e. the Malawi Human Rights Commission; the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Welfare; and the NGO Coalition for Child Rights.

The vehicles and motorcycles will help to enhance efforts in combatting Violence Against Children in all the 14 Traditional Authorities (TAs) of Balaka and Ntchisi districts.

In a colorful ceremony that took place in Lilongwe, representatives of both implementing organisations and staff from Save the Children came together to witness the joyful handover.

Speaking during the ceremony, Save the Children’s acting Country Director, Peter Nkhonjera reaffirmed that through the partnership with CHINANSI and NOYD, Save the Children will remain committed to inspiring breakthroughs and making lasting changes in the lives of children. Nkhonjera highlighted that Save the Children relies on such partnerships because of the impact that local NGOs have in their communities.

He urged the recipients to use the vehicles and the motorcycles for the intended purpose. In their remarks, representatives of CHINANSI and NOYD said they were humbled to be associated with an organisation like Save the Children and were also appreciative of the technical support they receive – this they said is of paramount importance for institutional growth. The two partners were also grateful to the EU for its enormous support towards the project.

Written by,

Nomsa Mkandawire, Campaigns and Communications Officer