Zambia Police, Immigration, Social Welfare, the Court, and the office of the District Commissioner have deported a 13 yar old Malawian girl. The team which was formed to carry out the deportation is called the Best Interest Determination (BID) panel.
The girl had entered Zambia through illegally with her elder sister in search of livelihood. The girl is currently living with her mother who has been widowed
The girl who has been deported from Zambia and sent back to Malawi has been identified as Elizabeth Ngozo. She was a student of fifth grade at Kasongo Primary School in Malawi.
The Malawian Child Offender was from Chibesa Village of Chief Chiwela in Kasungu District of that country. The report for the girls safe deportation was filed by Lundazi Child Welfare Inspector, Mark Mwanza.
The child welfare officer has also shared some details about the circumstances of the girl and her sister’s arrival. Mwanza spoke to the deported girl who informed the officer that she came to Zambia with her elder sister.
A person in Lumezi District of the Eastern Province had promised the two girls that they will get a job as a house maid. However, the situation was different when the two girls reached their destination
The only available job offer for the duo was to work as farm laborers in Chanyalubwe area within Lumezi District.
According to the information obtained from the 13 year old girl by the Zambia Police, immigration and such, she did not want to work on a farm. She reasoned that she was too young for the kind of the job and decided to trek back to Malawi without her elder sister.
The officersalso confirmed that the child belonged to a family of five. She told the Social Welfare Office that she was under the care of her widowed mother in Malawi.
The minor was found walking on foot by Patson Mwale from Nkhazimwene in the late hours of Sunday. Some residents offered her shelter for the night. The next morning, the officers alerted the Social Welfare Office.
The office received the call on Monday, October 21, 2024, for possible repatriation. The child has been successfully handed over to the Social Welfare Office at Kasungu District in Malawi.