GEM for primary school leavers empowerment
Girls Empowerment Workshop and Mentorship (GEM), an organization which strives at promoting child rights and girls education says it is geared to empower primary school leavers in various aspects of life through a workshop which they have organized.
In an interview GEM founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Yamiko Kawale said most of the primary school leavers face challenges when they go to secondary school and some of which lead to undesirable behaviour which affects their education.
“Having seen what most of the Form Ones go through, we would like to prepare them so that as they are going to secondary school they should know how to handle various situations they will encounter in secondary school,” a secondary school teacher said.
Kawale who teaches at Chimwankhunda Community Day Secondary added that as a secondary school teacher she knows most of the challenges which both new male and female students face in the country’s secondary schools, noting that most of the key challenges would be tackled during the workshop.
“Some of the issues that the learners are going to be made aware of are dangers of drug and substance abuse, child’s safety in school around new people, openness on issues of sex and reproductive health,” she added.
The CEO pointed out that the organization has engaged various successful people who are going to speak to the learners during the workshop, disclosing that the Chief Youth Officer in the Ministry of Labour, Youth, Sports and Manpower Development, Brenda Sulamoyo and Daisy Sibale, a doctor based at Kamuzu Central Hospital would be part of the high profile presenters to the workshop.
She noted that the workshop is open for both genders and parents who would like their children to be part of the workshop should contact GEM and they are going to be asked to pay a registration fee of K10, 000 per student.
This is a second time for GEM to engage primary school leavers in such kind of an activity as they conducted a similar workshop in 2017 which was attended by over 50 primary school leavers.
GEM is currently implementing a programme known as Girls Circle which attempts to reach out and empower girls in schools as well as religious gatherings.
It has organized a one day workshop scheduled to take place in Lilongwe on June 30, 2018 at the African Bible College where among other lessons, the focus will be on sexual and reproductive health, drug and substance abuse and cyber bullying
