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The unsung heroes of girls education

5/17/2016

12 Comments

 
Written by Sarah Kazira, CorpsAfrica Volunteer in Malawi
Reposted from SarahAyanda
​

If you were to visit my community, Nsondole, it would not take you a week to notice that most girls do not attend school. Most girls only get to attend lower classes of primary school, the numbers start dropping in Standard 7.  The numbers reach a new low at secondary where only a few girls have the privilege of attending. So many situations lead to girls dropping out of school, some cannot afford secondary school fees, some get pregnant while in school and it is not unusual for young girls to drop out of school and get married as young as 14 years old.

Many organisations have come up to help with this problem and are doing a commendable job of sponsoring the girls with school fees and some basic necessities to make sure they stay in school. Organisations like AGE AFRICA, CAMFED and STORYTIME. Today however, I would like to talk about the unsung champions of girls' education and this is the Mother’s group.

The Mother’s group is an initiative by the Malawi ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MoEST) started in 2008 to support girls education. These are women from the schools catchment area selected to help with issues concerning girl education. They work as volunteers and their duties mostly lie in guidance and counseling or managing the school garden.

The Nsondole Mother's group consists of 17 women; 10 from the primary school and 7 from the secondary school and it is heart warming to see that this group of women are taking girls education seriously. I have seen these women sacrifice their time to make sure that girls continue to go to school. I have seen them walk tirelessly for long distances to save girls from early marriages. I have witnessed them come together to do piece works (odd jobs) just to buy a girl they barely know school uniform. They better not hear that you are marrying off your child, or they come knocking on your door the same day just like Chief Kachindamoto in Dedza is doing . Even when a girl got pregnant while in school, they will help her get back after delivery.
​

One woman told me she has been nicknamed “Oswantchito” roughly translated "somebody with nothing to do.” People call her this because she does not get paid for her services but yet she works relentlessly to make sure girls go to school. Asked if this does not bother her, she said all she wants to see is many girls in her community get the education the she never had the chance of getting. She, and the rest of the group members strongly believe education is key to success and they will go as far as they can to make sure that not only do the girls go to school, but they also have a chance of succeeding.

Picture
The chairladies of the primary and secondary Mother's groups
Recently, they have volunteered to look after the Standard 8 girls at their self boarding. This means spending nights away from their families and they are willing to do this for free because they really are passionate about girls education. I am sure these are the kind of people Michelle Obama had in mind when launching the Let Girls Learn Campaign . There are so many remarkable things that these people are doing to support not only girl education but even boys education as well. As much as they cannot afford to pay school fees for any of the girls but in whatever way they can help, they do it whole heartedly and I believe these are the kind of people that are needed to advance the education of the girl child. So far, they are the group that have inspired me to do more.
Picture
With the secondary school chairlady sowing skills
Picture
Me (left) and the primary school chairlady
12 Comments
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1/18/2017 12:42:48 pm

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12/30/2017 01:15:36 am

Girl or woman education is much important for make a good society. Here I really excited to read the information that you've shared with us.

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1/30/2018 01:05:02 am

To improve a country or a nation girls education is must needed. your idea about girls education is a new concept. i think this system will develop girls education in rural area.

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3/5/2018 12:09:32 am

In this blog we are going to talk about the heroes of girls education. Education is very important and right of all of us. We can learn many things through education. So education of girls is more important then boys education. We should read and think about this.

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3/22/2018 02:04:31 am

As we know that there was a time when girls education was neglected and there has some people who raise their hand for the girls.

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4/6/2018 04:57:53 am

Girls education is the dire need of time so we should not compromise at all. This is really a big requirement and i really appreciate the man who has made this possible.

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