‘We have been repeatedly failed on knife crime-It is time now parents unite together.’

Bereaved mother Peguy Kato talks to the Havering Daily about the violence across the streets of London and how parents are being failed.

Once again London has seen another weekend of violence that has seen shootings, machete fights and another fatal stabbing. The sad reality is that teenagers are so accustomed to stabbings, that it has become part of their reality, their everyday life.

No one has actually called out this level of violence except bereaved parents who relive the nightmare they went through every time another teenager is murdered. Nobody has addressed the issue that London was once again riddled with violence across its streets.

A fifteen year old boy has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a fatal stabbing in Dagenham. He is a child. A child who should be at school today alongside his classmates, but is actually now in police custody and due to appear in court.

How many children across the capital today, will choose to go out with a dangerous weapon? How many will use it?

This is the sad reality of London that nobody except bereaved parents and anti knife crime campaigners address daily.

As stated regularly, we cannot police our way out of this situation. We cannot throw the blame at our police officers who are actually the ones first on scene every time another child is stabbed. Many officers are the ones who provide life saving first aid to stab victims and do their best to save lives.

This level of violence needs to be urgently called out. It needs to be addressed. We do not see any mention of this by those in authority as we should. It goes unnoticed every time.

Peguy Kato lost her son Champion Ghanda ten years ago on the streets of Newham. Champion was playing football with his friends when he was stabbed eleven times. His life ended on the street at the age of just 17 years old. His family have never and will never recover from losing their son and brother.

The saddest part for Peguy is that nothing has changed since Champion’s death and if anything, our society has decayed even more.

“We must stand together as a community. We cannot keep sweeping this under the carpet and pretending it isn’t our problem. Stabbings are taking place everyday, it is impacting many parents and their lives. Mothers and fathers are scared to let their children go out. Parents live in fear. It is so important that as a community we unite and support each other against this as no one else is going to do it.

“My son lost his life and nobody cared. I wasn’t even allowed to lay flowers on the spot where he was murdered. His life ended on his own and as a family we have to live with that knowledge.

“I’m tired of learning about stabbing after stabbing and so many children losing their life on our streets. I have campaigned, battled, fought and done everything I can to be a voice against knife crime-but the saddest part is no one except bereaved parents, cares.

“The time has come now, I urge all parents to please stand together against knife crime, let us work together and build a community that our children can live in without fear.”

Peguy is a broken lady, despite such sadness in her heart, she still makes her voice heard to help others who have also experienced the pain of losing their child.

“It is time for unity now, time we as parents come forward and make a stand against this violence. We have been let down by all those in authority, so now it is up to us to stand united as a community.

This article is written in memory of 17 year old Champion Ghanda whose life will always be remembered.

Peguy with her son Champion Ghanda. RIP Champion-gone but never forgotten.

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