Mandela's love for children

Mandela with children-photo by Alexander Joe of Getty Images 

Tata Nelson Mandela celebrated his birthday as he was turning 93. He is a great man. A son of Africa, as the world celebrates his life I remember his world about how precious our children are, as Nelson Mandela so often reminds us is: To make the world familiar with the smiles of children rather than their tears. The possibility of such world, can only be a reality if we all work for it. 

Mandela in his 90s has is still much involved in helping the children of the world through his  Nelson mandela children's fund, through this organization he has been able to start up projects like the mandela football tournament that united children across the world through the beloved game of football, among other projects, this is a challenge to our leaders in Tanzania and Africa who after retiring from politics do not actively engage in helping our impoverished society Tanzania still needs you so does the world, Tata Mandiba I have never met you in person like many people but the children of Africa THANKS YOU

 , so does the world.

Build your child a future with dreams and hopes he/she can hold on to. Most of all protect your child as a parent make it your mission in life to raise responsible, healthy citizens of the world.

here are some quotes from great leaders on children.

Nelson Mandela.

"Safety and security don't just happen, they are the result of collective consensus and public investment. We owe our children, the most vulnerable citizens in our society, a life free of violence and fear."

Nelson Mandela.

"There can be no keener revelation of a society's soul than the way in which it treats its children."

Princess Diana, Princess of Wales

"Hugs can do great amounts of good, especially for children."

Mama Salma Kikwete

Mtoto wa mwenzio ni wa kwako 

Wess Stafford, President, Compassion International

"Every child you encounter is a divine appointment."

David Vitter, U.S. senator

"I continue to believe that if children are given the necessary tools to succeed, they will succeed beyond their wildest dreams!"

Mother Teresa.

"The hunger for love is much more difficult to remove than the hunger for bread."

John W. Whitehead, founder, Rutherford Institute

"Children are the living messages we send to a time we will not see."

Doc Childre, founder of the nonprofit institute HeartMath, a research and education organization

"An aware parent loves all children he or she interacts with - for you are a caretaker for those moments in time."

Mohandes Ghandi, political and spiritual leader in India

"If we are to teach real peace in this world, and if we are to carry on a real war against war, we shall have to begin with the children."

Documentary in Zanzibar

Going to Zanzibar to shoot a documentary on violence against children. as we will be launching a national campaign on violence against children, it's only right that the public gets to watch the real situation on the ground and with the statistics showing Zanzibar's cases of violence against children on an alarming level, its time we all take some action, as always if you have news of violence against children please get in touch THE WORLD CHANGES WHEN WE CHANGE OURSELVES. 

Violence against children Campaign on TV nation wide

This month is a month of campaign aiming at addressing violence against children across the world. In Tanzania the campaign is underway to expose the violence against children with statistics showing children are more vulnerable at home under the care of family and close friends. Cases of physical, emotional and verbal violence against children is on the rise in Africa and in Tanzania as well. This month we will be launching the campaign on the Media, here is the sample of what will be coming to the screen near you, please do join in the fight. Start by reporting all cases of violence against children to the authority or the closest police station, don’t worry policemen and women in Tanzania have gone under training to handle such cases and they will take part in the national wide campaign. as usual you can email me at anganilet@yahoo.com, and tell me of the cases of violence against children in your neighbourhood and together we will expose them. CHANGE BEGINS WHEN WE CHANGE OURSELVES. 

                         
               "We Live in a Moral Universe."

STATISTICS SPEAKS VOLUME-VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN IN TANZANIA

© UNICEF Tanzania.

Zawadi (not her real name), from Hai District in the Kilimanjaro Region, Tanzania, was repeatedly abused by her step father. He is now in prison and she is rebuilding her life under the care of a foster mother.

By Joanna Martin and Jacqueline Namfua

HAI DISTRICT, Tanzania, 14 June 2011 – Child protection teams in the Kilimanjaro Region are joining forces to combat violence against children and ensure young people are treated with the respect and dignity they deserve.

Seeking justice

Zawadi (not her real name), 15, is a child abuse survivor. After her mother died, her stepfather sexually abused her repeatedly at the age of 12. It was a teacher who raised concerns and eventually accompanied Zawadi to the police station. “The state is now helping me,” she says. “I felt safe knowing in court he would no longer be able to abuse me.”

With the assistance of a child protection team in Hai District, the case was handled quickly and successfully. The perpetrator is serving a 30-year prison sentence, and Zawadi and her step sister now live with their foster mother.

“The district social welfare officer was heavily involved and supportive throughout the case,” says Zawadi’s foster mother, who praises the justice system’s response. “I accompanied her to court and her testimony was supported by the magistrate. The police were also in regular contact about the court date.”

Happiness Eliufoo, a Police Officer at the Children and Gender Desk in Hai District, Tanzania, reviews some child abuse reports. Cases involving children are now processed more quickly than in the past.

In several districts across Kilimanjaro Region, the police, social welfare and education officers, magistrates and health workers have come together as a team and are creating a stronger system to protect children.

Protecting children

At Boma Ng’ombe police station, a special room has been set aside as a safe haven where women and children can report sensitive issues like violence and sexual abuse. UNICEF has supported training for more than 40 police officers who manage the children and gender desk.

“The training has helped because when a case reaches the police it is quickly processed. This is a great improvement compared with the past, when a case could go on for up to three months,” says Happiness Eliufoo, Police Officer at the Gender Desk in Hai District. “The police have become more sensitive towards children. As soon as a case is reported here, we know what steps to take.”
The child protection teams are critical in helping children to speak out and give sufficient evidence to build abuse cases. These cases are now given priority and bringing perpetrators to justice usually takes less than two weeks.

“We prioritize child cases considering the high level of child abuse in Hai District,” says Hai District Magistrate, Dennis Mpelembwa. “We listen to the cases in an informal setting, normally in a side chamber and strive to create a child-friendly atmosphere.”

Helga Simon, a Social Welfare Officer in Hai District, Tanzania, is proud that the child protection teams in her region are making a difference.

However, challenges remain. The police have no camera to document the signs of physical abuse on a victim, and cultural barriers in the community can stop children from reporting abuse and attending follow-up visits to the police station due to being too afraid.

Integrated teamwork

In many cases, justice relies solely on a child’s testimony as they are often the only witness to the crime. It’s why teamwork in the justice system is so important.

“There is a lot of networking here in Hai District. When a case comes to the attention of the police, they record details, then contact the social welfare department for psycho-social support,” says Social Welfare Officer, Helga Simon. “We communicate with the hospital and if the child needs medical attention, it is provided free of charge.”

A child protection system provides children with the added protection of having key sectors that form part of children's everyday lives work together in pursuit of a common goal – to prevent and respond to abuse and violence against children.

“They are finding the sum of their collective parts much more effective than when they used to work separately,” explains Andrew Brooks, UNICEF Chief of Child Protection in Tanzania, “each one drawing on their mandated role and specialized knowledge to ensure an holistic and efficient response to the vulnerable child."- By Joanna Martin and Jacqueline Namfua

Violence against children Campaign

The United Nations Secretary-General's Study on Violence against Children has been a global effort to paint a detailed picture of the nature, extent and causes of violence against children, and to propose clear recommendations for action to prevent and respond to it. This is the first time that an attempt has been made to document the reality of violence against children around the world, and to map out what is being done to stop it. Since 2003, many thousands of people have contributed to the study in consultations and working groups, through questionnaires and in other ways. Children and young people have been active at every level. On 11 October 2006, the UN General Assembly will consider the study's findings and recommendations. 

Here is Tanzania we have the opportunity to address this wide spread physical, mental and emotional torture that our children go through, this month will make a country wide campaign on violence against Children, it is wider than you might think, if you know of any child that is in unsafe hands and under violent treatment please do report to the nearest police station or any authority for that matter, Tanzania is a community that we should raise our children with that in mind. 

As a jounalist there is much that I can do but the most that I can do is use my camera and TV to expose these conditions and that I will not stop. PLEASE HELP ME EXPOSE THE VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN. 

email me on anganilet@gmail.com/ anganilet@yahoo.com and let the world hear and see the stories, and change will come.