07/05/2026
The Community Development Alliance (CDA) has facilitated a community engagement meeting at Kumbieh aimed at strengthening collective efforts towards child protection and the welfare of children in the community.
The meeting brought together parents, caregivers, community leaders and members of the Community-Based Child Protection Committee (CBCPC), where participants were reminded of their shared responsibility in ensuring the safety, wellbeing and proper upbringing of children.
During the engagement, parents and caregivers were encouraged to provide the basic needs of children, including education, care, guidance and protection from all forms of abuse and neglect.
Members of the Community-Based Child Protection Committee highlighted some interventions they have undertaken to address child protection concerns within the community.
According to the committee, efforts have been made to tackle issues such as truancy and school dropout through regular sensitization and community engagements.
However, the committee expressed concern over the growing issue of drug abuse among youth in three camps within the community. They noted that several engagements with both the youth and community elders had yielded little results and appealed to the CDA team to support efforts aimed at addressing the situation.
The CDA team acknowledged the concerns raised and assured the community that the issue would receive the needed attention and intervention.
As part of the meeting, members of the Community-Based Child Protection Committee were formally introduced to the wider community to enable residents to identify and support them in carrying out their responsibilities effectively.
Community members commended CDA for the engagement and pledged their support towards protecting children and promoting their wellbeing.