Jesuits urge girls to work hard in school

Jesuits Refugee Services (JRS) country programme coordinator Percy Chikwela has asked girls in Dowa District to work hard in school to break the cycle of poverty.

He made the call on Friday when the oraganisation donated textbooks to four community day secondary schools (CDSSs) in the district.

Said Chikwela: “Covid-19 has worsened poverty levels of most community members where girls from less-privileged families lack basic necessities to support their education.

“This prompted us to provide them with menstrual hygiene sanitary materials and textbooks.”

Ndunje CDSS head teacher Agnes Kachiwala said the donation will improve performance among girls.

Kachiwala also thanked the organisation for donating a desktop computer and printer to the school.

On his part, Mbalame CDSS deputy head teacher Francis Chitedze thanked the organisation for engaging teachers and community members on the importance of educating the girl child.

One of the beneficiaries, Alepher Bonifacio from Mbalame CDSS, said the donation will motivate her to work hard in school.

With funding from the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, the organisation is implementing a Secondary Education Initiative in four schools in the district that seeks to empower schools in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The four CDSSs, namely Mbalame, Ndunje, Nanthomba and Dzaleka received 110 text books each from the organisation.