Mother Groups Step Up: Sharpen Advocacy and Mobilization Skills to Champion Girls’ Education
In a bold stride toward advancing girls’ education in Malawi, Emmanuel University (EMUNI) is empowering Mother Groups with advocacy and stakeholder mobilization skills to supercharge their efforts in communities.
At a dynamic workshop held Tuesday at Mtenthera Full Primary School in Lilongwe, EMUNI’s Coordinator for the Women Empowerment and Special Needs Education (WESNED) Project, Jeffrey Titus Maganga, emphasized the importance of strategic collaboration in breaking barriers that hinder girls’ access to education.
“With stronger advocacy and smarter stakeholder engagement, Mother Groups can become the heartbeat of community-driven solutions to keep girls in school,” Maganga said.
The training, supported by German charity Bread for the World, brought together chairladies of various Mother Groups to share experiences, forge alliances, and brainstorm innovative strategies for supporting girls in primary schools.
Participants didn’t hold back in pointing out the key obstacle: fragmented efforts and poor coordination.
“We often work in silos, which weakens the impact of our interventions,” said Patricia Chunga, Chairperson of the Tsabango 1 Full Primary School Mother Group. “True progress requires us to pull in the same direction—schools, families, communities, and partners—so that girls feel supported from all sides.”
Ethel Chikungu, who leads the Mother Group at Khukwa Full Primary School, echoed these concerns, noting that uncoordinated initiatives often lead to inconsistent outcomes and missed opportunities.
“We’re now making a deliberate move to engage more stakeholders, from government agencies to NGOs and community leaders,” said Chikungu. “By aligning our efforts, we can build an ecosystem that truly nurtures girls’ educational journeys.”
Maganga agreed, noting that fostering partnerships is a core pillar of the WESNED Project. He also highlighted the initiative’s holistic approach, which includes distributing reusable menstrual hygiene kits and training female teachers and Mother Groups in how to make and manage these materials.
“The feedback from schools has been overwhelmingly positive. This is more than a donation—it’s a sustainable solution that promotes dignity and ensures girls don’t miss school because of menstruation,” said Maganga.
As Malawi continues its push for inclusive education, these empowered Mother Groups are proving that local leadership—when sharpened and united—can spark lasting change in the lives of girls.
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