By Aubrey Thom Vakhani
The Pakaya Initiative has launched a project to combat cyberbullying in Mzuzu City. The “Cyberbullying—Mind Connected Chat” project was launched last Friday at Zolozolo Community Day Secondary School and aims to educate learners about the dangers of cyberbullying.
According to Peter Mumba, board chairperson of Pakaya Initiative, cyberbullying is a significant problem that affects not only ordinary citizens but also celebrities and politicians.
“We have seen a number of cases. People being bullied by their colleagues or other people who are little or unknown who by just having a phone and airtime just start tarnishing other people’s images,” he said.
The project seeks to empower learners with knowledge on how to prevent cyberbullying and its negative impacts, including depression and suicide.
Mumba emphasised that the initiative aims to reach out to young people, particularly secondary school students, who are vulnerable to cyberbullying.
His sentiments were echoed by Pakaya Initiative director, Frank Banda who among other things said cyberbullying can also affect education among learners.
Students have welcomed the initiative, with Form 3 student Esnart Kamanga expressing gratitude for the project.
“As a student, I have learnt that we should not be involved in cyber bullying but use the internet in a beneficial manner like education,” said Kamanga.
The Malawi Police Service is among the partners supporting the project, with Assistant Superintendent Adson Mapanda, Mzuzu Police Station Community Policing Coordinator advising learners to report cases of cyberbullying to the police.
The project will be implemented in four secondary schools in Mzuzu City namely Zolozolo, Katoto, Mzuzu Government and Luwinga.
By working together, the Pakaya Initiative and its partners [Malawi Police Service, Judith Foundation, Innoret, Apause Youth Organisation, National Initiative for Civic Education (NICE) Trust, Save the Generations and Mukuru] hope to create a safe online environment where people can interact freely without fear of bullying.
