62 children removed from the streets

By Latwell Nyangu

At least 62 children living on the streets have been taken to places of safety.

The initiative is implemented by Childline with the assistance of Department of Social Welfare (DSW) in the placement of children from the streets to safe houses.

Herzel Shingi Mukandi, the insistiturion’s Knowledge Management and Humanitarian Research manager said they are working tirelessly to make children living in the streets are safe.

“We are coordinating with the Department of Social Welfare in the placement of children from the streets.

“For Childline do date we have assisted in the placement of 62 children from the streets to places of safety.

“The DSW on its own and also through other partners placed high numbers of children living on the streets into places of safety.

“We are also continuing to offer Psycho-Social Support through the phone for cases which need immediate attention,” said Mukandi.

Mukandi stated that as Childline they recognized the unique Child Protection challenges which are presented by the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We are complying with the lock down announced by the President but at the same time offering the essential service of offering child protection services:

“Our Helpline is still functional 24 hours; we have Helpline officers attending to calls and we have two Helpline centers operating in Mashonaland and Matabeleland.”

“Our 116 online reporting platforms are functional,” added Mukandi. H-Metro