By THABO MOTLHABI
YOUR child is my child. This is what Dorothy Mathibela, a social auxiliary worker at the Light Centre for Children with Disabilities, recently told Ezimtoti News during a Child Protection Week Awareness Walk for foundation phase children.
The walk took place on Friday 23 May, ahead of the national Child Protection Week which starts from May 29- 5 June.
The main aim of the walk was to talk to the children about the challenges they faced and provide counselling. Mathibela said the other purpose of the event was to raise awareness around child safety.
During the walk, she said many children were going through a lot and because they were children, adults did not listen to them.
She said her organisation wanted to reach out to them and help them heal.
The Tarlton Stakeholders Forum and other community stakeholders dedicated to the protection of vulnerable children organised the awareness walk, which started at the centre and ended at Matshelapata Sports ground in West Rand.
The march’s goal was to educate, inform, and teach community members about children’s rights, abuse, neglect, statutory rape, dignity, equality, and the importance of protecting disabled children.
Community members walked together to demonstrate their unity and commitment to raising children in safe and supportive environments.
“Let us love, support, and care for our children,” said Mathibela .
She said the campaign also emphasised the growing concern among unreported children abuse cases, particularly within families. Organisers encouraged community members to speak up and report abuse to the appropriate authorities.
Napogadi Mosekoameng, social worker for the disability department at the centre, emphasised the importance of safeguarding children with disabilities.
“Children with disabilities are particularly vulnerable to abuse, and they should never be abandoned,” she said.
“We encourage families and stakeholders to work together and report cases of abuse, particularly statutory rape and gender-based violence against children.”
