YOCADE vows to fight social injustices affecting girls’ education in Blantyre
Youth Coordinating Agency in Development (YOCADE) has vowed to fight all forms of social injustices affecting girls’ education in Blantyre district.
Mervis Chitika, the project officer for the organisation, made the vow in an exclusive interview with publication on Saturday.
YOCADE With support from Hilden Charitable Funds- London UK is implementing a project which aims at promoting girls education and eliminate social injustices associated with harmful cultural and religious beliefs.
The project, according to Chitika, is being implemented in selected 4 schools 2 in Blantyre Rural and 2 in Blantyre Urban Traditional Authority (TA) Machinjiri.
The schools are Namilango, South Lunzu, Mapazi and Chipande primary schools both in TA Machinjiri.
She noted that lack of sexual reproductive health rights (SRHR) knowledge and skills including poverty are the major factors contributing to the downfalls of girls’ education in communities.
“The project aimed to support marginalized young girls who are dropping out of school due to early pregnancies and early child marriages and fight the harmful cultural practices and other religious believes,” said Chitika
She added that adolescent girls are often excluded from SHRH Health services because of the stigma around youth sexual activity.
“Most young girls are dropping out of school due to early pregnancies and marriages which can be prevented if adolescent girls can be equipped with sexual reproductive health Rights education and skills through the establishment of girls clubs within the schools,” Chitika advised.
During one of the stakeholders meeting with school governance structure at South Lunzu primary school, it was noted that 19 girls dropped out of school early this year at South Lunzu Primary school alone.
A representative of Mother Group from Namilango Primary school, Joyce Mavocha confesses that: ‘It is indeed a common practice these days that, once a child is pregnant, the parent they immediately arranged for her to marry her boyfriend and made her to dropped out of school.”
As not enough, according to Mavocha, some parents are even in forefront to encourage their young girls into illegal marriages due to cultural and other religious beliefs’.
The second phase of the project which will start in January, 2024 will continue will see the establishment girls clubs within the selected schools for girls to share information on SRHR , report sexual violence and other social injustices happening in and out of school which hinder them to complete their education.
This project will ensure girls complete their education cycle and reduce cases of school dropout among young girls, reduces cases of early child marriages and early pregnancies.
It will also be helpful to the girls by tackling other crosscutting issues of HIV&AIDS and the menstrual hygiene health which will be discussed within their clubs.
Youth Coordinating Agency in Development (YOCADE) is a registered nongovernmental organization under the Trustees Incorporation Act of Malawi.
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