Genet empowers girls in Thyolo

Girls in Thyolo District have commended Girls Empowerment Network (Genet), a local non-governmental organisation (NGO), for helping them fight gender norms and harmful cultural practices which have, for a long time, hindered their education.

Through Engage Project being implemented in Traditional Authority (T/A) Changata in the district, girls aged between 15 and 18 are training their peers in life skills such as leadership, advancing gender equity as well as challenging gender norms and harmful cultural practices.

The organisation is working with about 169 girl leaders who have reached out to about 1450 other girls through clubs.

Genet monitoring and evaluation officer Thelma Kaliu said no child marriages report has been received since en the organisation working with the girls. So far, she said, other nine girls who dropped out of school for various reasons are back in school.

“The girls are motivated to continue with education. They now recognise their right to education and are able to resist pressure to marry early. We encourage them to report such pressures and any form of gender-based violence (GBV),” said Kaliu.

The organisation has also given out about 100 cell phones to the girl leaders for reporting GBV.

T/A Changata commended Genet for the project which he said has helped reduce child marriages in the area.

He said chiefs have set by-laws which penalise anyone who forces his or her child to drop out of school is penalised. n