Standard Bank Malawi honours girl child mentors
Standard Bank of Malawi in partnership with UNICEF on has awarded certificates to women employees of the Bank who have been mentorship to primary school girls under Keep The Girl Child In School” program, a joint initiative with United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF).
Launched in August this year in partnership with United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) women leaders in the mentorship program targeting girls aged 8-15 in three districts of Dedza, Salima, Mangochi and selected youth drop-in centres
Speaking during the presentation Standard Bank Acting Chief Executive Temwani Simwaka applauded the employees for excelling in their role as mentors of school girls across the country.
“It is therefore with a deep sense of both pride and gratitude that I stand here in honour of fellow bankers who have excelled in their role as mentors of school girls across the country. The certificates we are presenting are in recognition of their service to community and nation,” said Simwaka.
Simwaka said the bank was compelled to act based on some rather unsettling statistics regarding the fate of girls in schools.
“We came across some startling numbers suggesting that out of a total 4.5 million children enrolled in public primary schools, 57% of the girls faced the certainty of dropping-out due to challenges related to poverty, child marriages and a dire lack of inspiration and guidance,” she said.
In his remarks UNICEF Representative to Malawi Johannes Wedeing commended standard bank for initiating the girl mentorship program.
He said UNICEF will continue to support the bank to intervene in girl child education to ensure that no girl child is left out of schooling system.
“We will continue to work hand in hand with the bank as well as other stakeholders to encourage girls to remain in schools. He said the initiative is very significant and that there is need to engage various stakeholders to mentor the young girls in the country”, said Wedeing.
In April 2017 Standard Bank and UNICEF signed a partnership agreement on Girl Child Mentorship program that targets girls from Standard 5 to 8 in 79 primary schools.
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