Mutharika launches girl-child hostels resource mobilization

President Peter Mutharika on Saturday night reiterated his administration’s commitment to creating a conducive environment for the girl-child to excel in education.

President Mutharika and the First lady Getrude Mutharika opening the dance floor in style. Pic by Francis Mphweya
President Mutharika and the First lady Getrude Mutharika opening the dance floor in style. Pic by Francis Mphweya

Mutharika made the remarks at Sanjika Palace in Blantyre when he presided over the official launch of the girl-child hostels resource mobilization dinner hosted by the Gertrude Mutharika Beautify Malawi-BEAM Trust.

The President said girl education was one of the pillars of his administration’s agenda and thatb his government had aligned policies to ensure that the girl-child did not lag behind in education.

“Education is a milestone towards promoting the socioeconomic development of the country. As such, my government values educating the girl-child so that Malawi moves forward,” he said.

“To ensure that the girl-child excels in education, starting from 2007 to date, about 18 hostels, each having four blocks, have so far been constructed.”

Mutharika said in addition, under Local Development Fund, about 15 hostels were yet to be completed before the end of 2014/2015 financial year.

But he said there was need to build more hostels to ease some of the challenges girl learners faced.

“In this case, there is need for various stakeholders such as companies and organisations to partner with BEAM to provide learning and teaching materials so that more girls benefit from the initiative that will assist them to become self reliant,”  Mutharika said.

The First Lady, Madam Gertrude Mutharika, who is also founder of BEAM Trust, said the organisation was concerned with the welfare and future of the girl-child.

She said the launch of the initiative, which seeks support to built girls’ hostels in community secondary schools across the country, would open up opportunities for more girls to access education.

“Construction of more hostels in community day secondary schools will mean that girl learners will no longer travel long distances to access education and they will have ample time to focus on their studies,” Madam Mutharika said.

She said: “This is why BEAM has embraced the notion of beauty by considering educating girls as an important ingredient for beautifying Malawi.”

She assured the public that the mobilized resources would be used in a transparent and accountable manner.

Msauka Chakonda, a form four student at Sopa Community Day Secondary School (CDSS) in Mchinji, said the lack of adequate girls’ hostels in CDSSs had made them vulnerable to sexual exploitation.

“Since we are forced to rent houses away from school premises, most of the times, we find ourselves being sexually exploited by sugar daddies. As a result, we drop out of school.

“Besides, we get tired and fail to concentrate on our studies because of travelling long distances to and from school,” Chakonda said.

She thanked BEAM for coming up with the initiative, and expressed the hope that it would assist in alleviating the plight of the girl-child in the country.

Launched on September 13, 2014, BEAM focuses on ensuring cleanliness in streets, hospitals and schools, among other projects.-Mana

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Manolo
Manolo
9 years ago

Mathanyula looks happy when he is in the company of Prime Minister Ben Phiri and totally disengaged/disinterested and distant in the company of the women he hired for a wife……….what is wrong with that picture?

Tukombo
Tukombo
9 years ago

Marriage for hire . The body language between these two speaks volumes. Mathanyula looks like he was forced at gun point to dance with his “wife”

nsonga ciswe
nsonga ciswe
9 years ago

Does this issue mid the whole plesdent? Lazy cow.
Anthu a nchito za zimenezi alikuti? Losing the plot
Bastard

Kadakwiza
Kadakwiza
9 years ago

Am expecting like, say, the president was opening a manufacturing company. Not this useless function.

munyalika
9 years ago

they dont have any agenda mwatiphera tenthani muwona zomwe zichitike

Photo interpreter
Photo interpreter
9 years ago

Look from the photo they are not together.He is not looking at her kumogomera mkazi wake.This gogo has wandering eyes for other women.Watch out Aunt Getu.

hon
hon
9 years ago

Bwana mukumva kukoma ndi banja eti? Ndiye 30 years munalibe banja munkangokhala? Adona akubeba ngati ka teenager Tu .zili bhoo man kofunika mimbatu

ujeni
9 years ago

Beautify Malawi has gone off its objective. Trying schemes to steal money is their objective. How can cleaning objective go off target like this?

On another note mapwando ndiye osakamba dailt chopping tax payers money.

gerald Chifundo
gerald Chifundo
9 years ago

Opening the dance floor In style? the two look like they had a fight earlier and the president looks disinterested. Would he rather he was dancing with ` auntie Ben P., the PM?` kodi what are the real areas of operation for beam? I thought when they launched they said its about keeping the country clean and sanitary? then one day we hear they have taken HIV money and now they are raising money for hostels? The first ladies should stay away from these things that require them to receive/collect money which they never account for. This is just an… Read more »

Chakwera
9 years ago

cipy right of jb even ya malata

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