Initiative to construct secondary school
Ministry of Local Government director of chiefs Charles Makanga says the Spotlight Initiative plans to construct a secondary school in Machinga to empower more girls academically.
He said this on Saturday at Liwonde during a Spotlight Initiative meeting for implementing partners facilitated by YouthNet and Counselling (Yoneco).
Makanga said girls’ empowerment cannot be complete without supporting their education.
He said: “Spotlight Initiative seeks to pool resources together to end violence against women and girls.
“Machinga District does not have a public girls’ secondary school and constructing one will help reduce the vice.”
Makanga said girls’ empowerment means empowering them academically to overcome gender-based violence (GBV).
On her part, Society for Women Advancement in Malawi programmes manager Lindiwe Jere, whose organisation is one of the Spotlight Initiative implementing partners, said women advocates were worried that there are few secondary schools in Machinga.
“So, constructing a secondary school will enable many girls to attain education, which is a catalyst to fighting poverty and GBV,” she said.
In her remarks, Yoneco programme support manager Rose Kamela, who is also the district’s Spotlight Initiative project coordinator, said the meeting shared best practices among Spotlight Initiative implementing partners.
“Machinga is one of the districts with high illiteracy levels, especially among girls, which makes them vulnerable to GBV,” she said.
Yoneco is implementing the Spotlight Initiative in Paramount Chief Kawinga and Traditional Authority Nkula with funding from UN Women through Trocaire.
