Campaign for Female Education in Malawi calls for change of mindset to keep girls in school

Campaign for Female Education (Camfed) in Malawi has indicated that although various organizations were coming up with interventions to help the girl child proceed with education, mindset and poverty were still hampering the process of uplifting girls’ education.

Camfed officials in Chikwawa -Pic by Lapken Kapoto
Camfed officials in Chikwawa -Pic by Lapken Kapoto
Glory Maulidi: Mindset and poverty still big challenges -Pic by Lapken Kapoto
Glory Maulidi: Mindset and poverty still big challenges -Pic by Lapken Kapoto
Aluberia Dave, one of the beneficiaries of the Camfed schemes-Pic by Lapken Kapoto
Aluberia Dave, one of the beneficiaries of the Camfed schemes-Pic by Lapken Kapoto

Glory Maulidi, Young Women Empowerment Officer at Camfed said there was still a challenge in the process of uplifting girls’ education in the country.

“Camfed is doing a great work in Malawi in the 17 districts in supporting the girl child but there is still a challenge and one of them is mindset of community members, parents and even guardians that they feel educating a girl child is a loss of money,” said Maulidi

She added that such were major challenges that the girl child faced and could easily feel unwanted, uncared for and she would easily enter into early marriage before completion of education even before they got further with tertiary education.

Maulidi further said: “Challenge of poverty is there although Camfed is there to support the young girls but the demand is high and we cannot manage to reach out and touch every girl.”

She added that the mindset of the parents can be changed through the Camfed Association themselves by enabling girls themselves to act as role models adding that if communities would see good works from the girls who form part of Camfed Association, their mindset would easily be changed.

“When these young girls have gone further with their tertiary education and get back to their communities where they would hold various positions in nursing, teaching, engineering among others the mindset of their parents, guardians will be changed,” added Maulidi

Camfed Association is a grouping of young women who have completed secondary school education. They are trained as agents of transformation where they get committed to the positive generation and address concerns of their communities without discrimination.

 Camfed Association Seed Money Schemes

Some of the programs within Camfed Association include provision of tertiary education where girls are helped throughout college or university education through fees and other necessities.

At the same time, girls especially those that have not done well at their Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) are assisted with grants amounting to K30, 000 which they call Seed Money Schemes (SMSs) to invest in various businesses.

One of the beneficiaries, Aluberia Dave who after received the grant invested it in selling dry fish can now sing a good song after the money started baring her good fruits.

She stated: “Through the profits I realized, I pay school fees for my siblings, I buy uniforms for them, shoes among other things. Currently, I have K140, 000 in savings after buying a cow which is being reared at home. My message to my fellow friends who got this grant is that they must use it in the best way possible.

It is through the same K30, 000 someone can buy goats, they can build a house, can pay school fees on top of assisting fellow disadvantaged communities if it’s put to its best use.”

Chikwawa Camfed elections

In Chikwawa, Camfed managed to set up clusters that included schools under its arms based on their closest to each other. Within the clusters, members hold positions of chair-ladies, vice chair-ladies, Secretary and vice as well as treasurer.

There are ten Camfed clusters in the district that include; Chapananga, Chang’ambika, Livunzu, Mfera, Mbiya, Makande, Chifunda, Dzumila, Mthumba, and Nchalo.

These clusters among other activities members decide to do include charity works in their communities, visiting school going children and offer them model talks, visiting the disadvantaged among others.

On Friday, each cluster was represented by three people who gathered at Chikwawa Teacher Development Center to elect district chari-lady and her vice, secretary and her vice as well as treasurer who would at a later date especially the chair-lady in the same month of November would compete at nation level.

Therefore, Aluberia Dave maintained her position as Chikwawa District Chair-lady for Camfed Association whereas Mary Mwandidya from Dzumila cluster was voted as secretary while Zepha Lupenga from Nchalo cluster was voted as treasurer.

So far, Camfed Malawi through Camfed Association has managed to disburse grants to 504 girls and there are 500 more that will be given grants next year covering all 17 districts the organization is working in.

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nobel
nobel
8 years ago

Chair lady or chairperson? Kkkkk it is these titles that are fueling drop out rate. Ur talking about mindset change but maintain old mindset on the other hand, do u think we will succeed?

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