CCJP KARONGA DIOCESE LAUNCHES PROJECT TO COMBAT CHILD TRAFFICKING AND VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN IN SONGWE RIVER BASIN
By Noel Chatepa
On Friday, August 14, 2026, the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) of the Diocese of Karonga held a planning meeting for its new project titled “Combating Violence Against Children in the Songwe River Basin (Border Districts of Chitipa and Karonga).”
The project, funded by Missio Austria, seeks to address violence against children living in the two border districts. In an interview, Cuthbert Mkandawire, Desk Officer for CCJP Karonga Diocese, said the project is targeting issues such as early and child marriages, teenage pregnancies, school dropouts, child trafficking, and sexual exploitation and abuse. He added that one of the key reasons behind the project is the rising number of child trafficking cases along the Tanzania-Malawi border.
“Cases of child trafficking are prevalent, and the Songwe River basin borderline is quite porous, with weak enforcement mechanisms. The numbers have been increasing in terms of children trafficked, school dropouts, and sexual exploitation,” he said. “This project aims at improving economic livelihood of households and enhancing coordination among stakeholders such as child protection committees to prevent and respond to violence against children (VAC),” added Mkandawire.
The project is being implemented by CCJP Karonga Diocese in Kameme, Chitipa, and Ngana, Karonga, with funding from Missio Austria amounting to 30,000 Euros.