The first ever National Children Congress happened at Don Bosco Parish Lilongwe Archdiocese- Malawi from the 30th of July to the 3rd of August 2025. The delegates were Children between the age of 8 to 14 and their animators. The numbers of delegates per diocese were as follows; Lilongwe 463, Dedza 228, Blantyre 332, Mangochi 183, Chikwawa 44, Karonga 163, Zomba 183, Mzuzu 32. The total number of delegates was 1628.
A) The Main Aim Of the Children Congress
- To allow children to meet in one place, know one another and share knowledge.
- To give children a chance to discuss issues that affect their spirituality and their day-to-day lives.
- To give children a chance to give views to leaders on how best they want to participate in church and nation.
- To prepare children to be good leaders for the church and nation.
B) What Was Discussed
- How parents take care of their children following how Joseph and Mary took care of Jesus Christ Child abuse.
- Child labor and child trafficking.
- Catholic Social Teaching (CST)
C) The Following Were Some Key Lessons
- That everyone was created in the image of God and that everyone needs to be respected and children are also created in the image of God Genesis 1: 26-27.
- Life is a gift from God co from God and therefore no one has freedom to take away his or the life of another person We are all one family, and we should do things together (Solidarity).
- We children should do things for the good of our fellow children (Common good) Everyone should be allowed to do his or her part (Subsidiarity).
- We should help our fellow children who are lacking (preferential option for the poor) Our responsibility is to care for the environment (Genesis 1:28).
- That mass is the highest prayer in the church, sacraments and liturgy and that We children should love the sacraments of the Eucharist and penance.
- How to have good thoughts (Mental Health) Eat proper, enough and healthy food Having adequate time to sleep (10 hours).
- Avoid bad behaviors of smoking Chamba and alcohol drinking Avoid excessive use of technology and watching inappropriate things.
- Malawi 2063 which is the vision for this country. Malawi wants to be an inclusive wealthy and self-reliant nation by the year 2063.
- What causes climate change, the problems that come with it and how we can prevent climate change and what we children, and the church can do with it list.
D) Resolutions
- Parents and the church should take an effort to protect children from their children’s abuse, child trafficking and what disturbs the mental health of children and so they should not allow us children to excessively use modern technology.
- Parents should help us to be close to Jesus Christ, teach us how to pray and read the word of God and send us for mass, parents should desist from leaving us home while they go for mass.
- The lessons should be taught in dioceses and parishes to benefit more children.
- The lessons should also go to parents who are key in taking care of children.
- We are wanting to ask various church leaders, priests and sisters that they should love us children.
- The church should strengthen its efforts in taking care of the creation and fight climate change; all parishes should find places where they can grow trees every year.
- The church and the government should give equal access to education so that we can be able to achieve Malawi 2063.
- The church should establish peer groups at the diocese and parish where children can be able to report various abuses.
- The safeguarding policy which the church established should be taught and be utilized.
- The church should establish groups to help children that are lacking most.
- Priests and Sisters should take an active role in PMS activities more especially the Holy Childhood. and that during Epiphany Day parishes should organize food so that children can interact this will foster unity and togetherness.
- There should be good coordination between bishops, priests and sisters in efforts on taking care of children.
- In various children’s gatherings there should be role models in vocation and other key figures in society to motivate children.
