No love for vulnerable kids despite Pinda edict

By Valentine Oforo

The Citizen Correspondent

Dodoma. Only few municipalities allocate funds to care for most vulnerable children and their issues are rarely discussed at full council meetings.

Speaking to The Citizen yesterday, World Education Programme director Lillian Badi, whose charity advocates the welfare of most vulnerable children in the county said the government had good policies on supporting needy children, but there was poor implementation.

She said in November 2010 on various occasions, Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda wrote four letters to permanent secretaries through the ministry of Health and Social Welfare directing that all verified needy children be given free education and health services, but such directives had not been implemented.

“In many areas vulnerable children have been isolated by their societies as they lack crucial social services like access to better education, healthcare and psychosocial support. It is time the government did something about needy children,” she emphasised.

Speaking recently while endorsing the National Costed Plan of Action for Most vulnerable Children (NCPA II 2013 -2017), Mr Pinda said the government expected to spend Sh330 billion on the plan.

 

During the first phase (2007-2010) the crucial programme managed to support 857, 118 needy children (402,846 girls and 454,272 boys) across Tanzania.