By Elizabeth Tungaraza

Medard Paul, never forgets the ordeal the death of his parents brought to his life. 

While still young, he vividly recalls being denied his basic needs by his own relatives simply because he was an orphan.

The hardship was too extreme to bear that he decided to stowaway on a train to the city.

Because of his poor childhood background, today he joins other children to help pushing through Children’s Agenda.

Children agenda

As election time approaches, children are pushing for their agenda to be enshrined in the manifestos.  Therefore, they recently met at Kurasini, Dar es Salaam as a continuation of their last November meeting in Arusha, to discuss the agendas.

There were more than 50 children who came from within the city and the coastal region. 

Medard thinks the agenda, if blessed by leaders, then, it is likely to improve children’s lifestyle.

“This colloquium with the ministry of community, development, gender and children will act as a bridge for our concern to reach the president,” says Paul, a student from Mkwawa Primary School.

“We want leaders to put emphasis on the 10 agendas,” says a 12-year-old Mwanaidi Mustapha, from Chanzige Primary School.

On her part, Nasrat Shaaban, 10, says it’s time for the society to make sure children are getting the necessary help while pursuing their educational goals and seeking proper medical treatment.

“It is the society’s duty to safeguard our interest and report every abuser of our rights including those advocating for corporal punishments,” says Mwanaidi. 

Medard agrees that corporal punishment doesn’t have any moral lesson but the worst it does is lowering a child’s self esteem. 

“On June 14, two children’s representatives from each region will meet the president at Dodoma to discuss the agendas,” says Jacquiline Christopher, a pupil at Wailes Primary School.

According to her, other things to be tabled include asking the government to establish children’s friendly policies that would safeguard their interest. 

The director of Community Development Gender and Children, Tukae Njiku, underscored the importance of having leaders who are ready to advocate for the children’s welfare. 

“Our aim as parents and government is to ensure that children are getting their rights. That is why, we are ready to join the cause and support the course,” says Ms Njiku.

To start with, she says, they will translate the children’s law into Kiswahili to make it understandable by every Tanzanian.