The African Child Day is celebrated annually on June 16th since 1991. It was an initiation by the Organization of African Unity (OAU), honoring the 10,000 children in Soweto who demonstrated against poor education, hundreds of who were shot. The day forces us to think of present-day challenges for African children such as low education standards and a lack of children’s rights. Humanitarian missions use this day as a tool to encourage communal participation in protecting child’s rights.
In the Kilimanjaro region we participated in two districts; Moshi Municipal and Mwanga. In Moshi Municipal, the guest of honor was the District Commissioner who was replaced by District Administrative Secretary, Angelina Marco, together with the Social Development Officer of Moshi Municipal Council Rose Minja, Senior Government Advocate Tamari Mndeme represented the Attorney General, and Municipal councilor Michael Mwandezi.
Children participated by performing various exhibitions to identify the talents they have in delivering a message of violence. There were children who sang songs about violence, practicing domestic violence and affecting the lives of children, children living with disabilities expressed if they are given the opportunity of how they are able to do good things. They represented different activities that they are doing in their center.
Development Officer provided training for the children who attended the celebrations. The training was about the rights of the child, the responsibility of the child, what is violence, the forms of violence and how, were to report cases of child abuse that have been done to them.
