Callista urges Malawi girls to dream in colour: Visits Nkhamenya Girls School

Former First Lady, Callista Mutharika on Monday used her former husband Bingu wa Mutharika’s mantra,  urged young girls to be visionary and “dream in colour in order for them achieve in life.

Mutharika who is also Chief Advisor on Safe Motherhood, HIV and Aids and population Control, to President Peter Mutharika, known for her role in defending girls against early marriages and pregnancies.

She was speaking at Nkhamenya Girls Secondary School, when she presided over fare well party of 126 students who have completed their form four classes.

The former first lady discouraged young girls at the school against indulging themselves in sexual activities so that they can develop into meaningful citizens in the future.

“Don’t be taken away with material things, make your own future and don’t indulge yourself in sexual activities or even in early marriages,” advised Madam Mutharika.

She appealed to them to preserve their virginity for their future husbands.

Her remarks come after an international finding by United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA 2013), following vigorous research that 39,000 girls every day get married globally and that more than 140 million young girls will marry between 2011 and 2020.

The same UNFPA report which was released on March 7, 2013 in New York says between 2011 and 2020, more than 140 million girls will become child brides.

However to discourage this Mutharika said it is better that girls should aim high and dream in colours.

“As you are aware, my late husband Bingu wa Mutharika used to advise us to be positive of ourselves and dream in colour don’t look down upon yourself, all is possible,” said Callista Mutharika.

Board chair of Nkhamenya Secondary School Paul Mwale took the opportunity to reveal to Mutharika challenges which the school is facing, including water shortage which he asked government to help address.

“It is very common to see these young girls leaving school campus just to fetch water. This disturbs these girls from their studies and it is dangerous to their security,” said Mwale.

Speaking on the general expectation of this year’s performance of her students, the school head teacher, Sister Teleza Tembo said he has hope that the girls will do well this time around than years before.

During the function, Mkuzike Magalasi was voted overall performer of the academic calendar and went away with various gifts in both cash and valuables from the school management.

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