Zodiak award top 10 female students: Beneficiary asks Malawi govt to protect girls
Ten girls that performed extremely well during the 2016 Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) examinations have been awarded during this years Zodiak Broadcasting Station (ZBS) Top Girl Award ceremony held at St. Marry’s Secondary School on Friday.
The Top Girl Award Initiative was introduced in 2006 to encourage a girl child to excel in education.
During the ceremony one of the beneficiaries of the Zodiak initiative, who is now a medical doctor after securing a scholarship to study in China, has called on stakeholders to ensure total protection of girls from various abuses in order for the girls to achieve their dreams.
Dr Mireille Twaigira, who is now working with Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, says it is pathetic to see girls as young as 13 giving birth or losing their lives after being raped by some men including their relations and this must be stopped.
“It saddening to see girls as young as 13 years old giving birth in the labour ward and some of the girls are being abused by their own uncles and step fathers and this must stop,” said Twayigira.
Twaigira a Rwandan national, who once stayed at Dzaleka refugee camp, while thanking Zodiak for coming up with the innitiative to support girls has also called on girls to be focused and have a purpose to achieve in their life.
In his remarks ZBS managing director Gospel Kazakowhile assuring that the program will continue called for more investment in the education sector for the country to develop adding that girls should be fully supported to achieve their dreams.
Kadzako also disclosed that beginning next academic year Zodiak will start recognizing outstanding teachers through a trophy that will be launched and schools will be competing saying Zodiak realize that for students to do well teachers also play a big role.
South East Education zone manager Mcgregory Alufandika urged schools to encourage discipline among students and also called on school management committees to motivate teachers for the schools to start producing good results just like other schools such as St. Merry’s.
So far over 40 girls have benefited with some securing scholarships to study in counties such as China.
During the Friday award presentation ceremony ten girls from secondary schools including St. Marry’s, Ludzi and Marymount received various items including a trophies and 250 thousand kwacha from CIC Africa.
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Malawi is never short of drama. This is indeed a good initiative by ZODIAK. What is puzzling though is the continued featuring of the Rwandanese as a role model to young Malawian girls when there are equally deserving young Malawian girls that have done well through this same program. We should be able to use them in these events. I am not being nepotistic here. Get me right. The point is that those aspiring girls may be more motivated to hear from their fellow Malawian than one of not their origin. Using one of not Malawi origin may psychologically sound… Read more »