Plan International to set up child friendly centres in Byo

Thandeka Moyo-Ndlovu, Senior Reporter
PLAN International Zimbabwe (PIZ) has partnered with Bulawayo City Council and other organisations to set up child friendly centres to cater for mental health needs for children aged from six to 17 years.

The project will see the setting up of four centres that are referred to as child-friendly spaces in Magwegwe, Mzilikazi, Luveve and Selborne Park suburbs. The fifth one would be mobile. Child-friendly spaces (CFS) are safe spaces set up in emergency settings to help support and protect children.

Their objective is to restore a sense of normalcy and continuity to children whose lives have been disrupted by natural disasters or other emergencies like Covid-19. In a statement, PIZ programme manager Ms Noreen Makhurane said the project was in partnership with Goal Zimbabwe and Musasa.

“The primary purpose of CFS is to support the resilience and psychosocial wellbeing of children and young people through activities conducted in a safe, child friendly, and stimulating environment,” she said.

Ms Makhurane said the spaces will offer psychosocial support, play and recreational therapy for children from local communities.”These facilities will provide an entry point for children to access multiple services to realise their rights through the Department of Social Development and other service providers,” said Makhurane.

Local psychologist and child activist Ms Jacqueline Nkomo said the services will help address prevalent issues affecting children.

“These spaces are helpful in nurturing confidence for children who feel abandoned, helpless, abused and all. Safe spaces also help children to speak out about their traumas, experiences and express themselves which leads to emotional and mental development,” she said.

Ms Nkomo said Covid-19 had left a trail of disaster in terms of mental health issues and affected hundreds of children who may be suffering in silence.

“These safe spaces will also breed a generation of people who are free from depression because children there will get a chance to play and also discuss whatever is troubling them so that counsellors take note and come up with solutions.” @thamamoe.