The Dedza Police Women Network on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, donated assorted items to mothers admitted to the female ward at Dedza District Hospital as part of Mother’s Day celebrations.
The delegation was led by Dedza Police Station Officer-in-Charge Senior Superintendent Cecilia Maloya and was welcomed by the ward’s in-charge, Mrs. Tiwonge Mabel Soko, according to Sergeant Brenda Yassin, deputy public relations officer at Dedza Police Station.
Speaking during the visit, Maloya thanked Soko for receiving the officers despite the short notice. She said the network would continue community-focused initiatives, stressing that policing goes beyond law enforcement to include supporting, empowering and uplifting communities. She also encouraged guardians not to lose hope and wished the admitted mothers a happy Mother’s Day in advance.
Network Chairperson Assistant Superintendent Pilirani Toba said the visit formed part of the network’s Mother’s Day celebrations. She added that the network would continue reaching out to communities through various forms of assistance aimed at improving people’s welfare.
Vice Chairperson Sub-Inspector Nara Kumwenda led a spiritual session, sharing the Word of God from John 9:12 in the New Testament to encourage and strengthen the faith of the mothers and their guardians.
In her remarks, Soko thanked the network for the gesture, describing the donation as a reflection of the strong relationship between the health sector and the police.
After the speeches and spiritual session, the officers donated assorted items to the hospital’s maternity wing.
Maziko Matemba, a public health advocate, described the initiative by the Dedza Police Women Network as highly commendable.
“In my view, this gesture represents a powerful example of community-centric policing and highlights the critical role law enforcement networks can play outside of traditional security duties,” Matemba said.
He noted that the initiative reveals several key positive impacts, including strengthening police-community relations.
“Historically, police-citizen interactions can be tense or strictly transactional. By engaging in charity work, the female officers successfully humanize the uniform,” he said. “These actions reinforce the idea that the police exist to serve the community, building vital trust and social capital.”
Matemba also praised the network’s fundraising approach, noting that rather than simply asking for handouts, the network actively raised funds through innovative community service such as offering cleaning services to local restaurants, lodges, and complexes.
“This work ethic sets an excellent precedent for corporate social responsibility and community development,” he said.
He further highlighted that reports from Dedza District Hospital consistently show many patients arrive from remote areas without food, basics, or guardians to care for them. By providing practical supplies like sugar, soap, soya pieces, and flour, the officers directly alleviate immediate suffering and hygiene challenges for vulnerable admitted patients.
