CYR applauds Zatonse Radio Program

By Elias Banda

Center for Youth Rehabilitation, (CYR) a Blantyre based organization has received positive response from Blantyre City Assembly to identify 115 sex workers who would be supported to undergo vocational trainings.CYR Executive Director, Marco Chipwaira said the response came after he was featured on the ADRA sponsored Zatonse Radio Program on the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC). During the program,  he appealed for support from local partners.
  CYR was formed in 2009 with the aim of rehabilitating, promoting and protecting the Malawian youths through psycho-socio, economic and spiritual programs in Blantyre, Zomba and Mulanje.
On Januray 19, 2012, CYR was featured on a live program to respond to issues raised by the general public over increased cases of prostitution in the country, involving young girls manly aged between 11 and 25. Some of the girls have since dropped from school.
The program received overwhelming responses from callers who sought more information and location of the office so that they could visit and present their grievances. Mr Chipwaira said that after the program he received numerous calls from Blantyre, Karonga, Mulanje and Lilongwe where concerned people sought advice to set up committees that would address the growing cases prostitution.  Two families from Bangula and Nancholi in Blantyre complained that their daughters were doing prostitution while at school and they sought redress from CYR.
 He said that sex workers committees have already been established in Mwanza and Muloza Boarder areas.
He also said that the identified sex workers would go for life skill training for two weeks before being allocated to various vocational schools. The sex workers would be identified in Zomba, Blantyre and Mulanje with the age range of 11 -35. He said however that some would be recommended from Mwanza by the committee that has already been established. The anticipation is high that the transformed girls and young women would turn into good citizens and positively contribute to the national development.
“we are very thankful to the management of ADRA Malawi for incorporating us on the Zatonse Radio Program and we expect good partnership with you” Chipwaira said.
The Action for Social Program with support from Denmark is collaborating with different partners to solve the socio-economic challenges facing the country.