Huambo: The governor of Huambo province, Pereira Alfredo, on Monday assured the feasibility of plausible projects aimed at families' stabilization, with a focus on promoting the sustainable development of local communities. The governor was speaking during the 26th session of the Family Council, held in the city of Huambo, which brought together members of the Government, academics, religious and traditional authorities, and representatives of the Defence, Security, Internal Order, and Justice bodies.
According to Angola Press News Agency, in his speech, he highlighted that family stabilization projects are part of the Integrated Plan for Intervention in Municipalities (PIIM) and programs to combat poverty, Social Action, and Valorization of Families, including 'Votoka Mam Zungueiras', which is dedicated to informal vendors. Pereira Alfredo reinforced the Government's commitment to the implementation of public policies prioritizing the construction and rehabilitation of social and economic infrastructures, the promotion of well-being, job creation, entrepreneurship, education improvement, and communication system expansion.
Therefore, he called on municipal administrators to integrate actions in their plans aimed at mitigating the challenges faced by families, with particular attention to the removal of children from the streets, a growing phenomenon in urban centers. The minister advocated for the adoption of persuasive measures that encourage family responsibility and urged strict compliance with family legislation and speed in judicial proceedings. He revealed that, from January to the present date, 350 cases of paternal abandonment have been registered in the province.
He emphasized that the Provincial Development Plan 2022-2027 recognizes the central role of families in implementing social and economic projects, in line with the United Nations 2030 Agenda, which advocates access to resources and services. In turn, the director of the Provincial Office for Social Action, Family, and Gender Equality, Maria de F¡tima Cawewe, informed that awareness campaigns were conducted in the first four months of this year on early pregnancy, prevention of child marriages, family planning, and sexually transmitted diseases.
She also mentioned the creation of 115 psycho-pedagogical offices in the municipalities of Huambo, Ca¡la, Bailundo, Mungo, Ucuma, Ecunha, Cachiungo, Alto-Hama, and Londuimbali, which attend to seven to eight cases of emotional saturation daily, with a higher incidence among students and teachers.
