Oxfam in Malawi and Women’s Legal Resources Centre (Wolrec) on Friday engaged several role models to motivate young girls at Ntondo Primary School in Traditional Authority Phimbi in Balaka District.
The role modelling session, which involved women in civil society, a lawyer, a medical doctor, a police officer and legislator for Balaka South Ireen Mambala was held as part of the International Day of the Girl Child commemoration.
One of the role models, lawyer Kumvana Mulumbe challenged the girls to work hard in school and pursue their career aspirations with passion and determination.
She said: “It is good for every school-going young girl to have career aspirations because that will allow you to work towards achieving them.
“There is nothing impossible in this life and you can always be what you dream of.”
Oxfam in Malawi country director Lingalireni Mihowa said the event’s focus was to encourage girls to aim high regardless of challenges they face in their communities, homes and schools.
“We want to support more girls to aim high. That is why our theme has been around role modelling,” she said.
On her part, Wolrec executive director Maggie Kathewera Banda, who also participated in the role modelling, said the event provided an opportunity to celebrate girls, sensitise communities to protect and respect girls’ rights and protect them from any form of violence and encourage girls to stay in school.
“Balaka was a better spot because it is one of the two districts where Wolrec and Oxfam are implementing a three-year project aimed at contributing to the reduction of violence against women and girls with funding from UN Women,” she said.
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