Project aims to keep girls in school

In a move to empower girls, River of Life organization (ROLIFE) has launched a project known as Ulemu Project which aims at keeping girls in school.

The project’s goal is to empower girls through education and counselling, personal hygiene and sanitation.

ROLIFE projects coordinator Richard Muluzi said that the project is targeting about 1400 students from two schools namely Nyezelera Primary School and New Foundation Secondary School.

“It is targeting 1400 learners/students in total in 2 schools for those above 12 years. 932 girls at Nyezelera Primary School and 168 girls at New Foundation Secondary School,” he said.

According to Muluzi, during the project girls will be provided with re-usable sanitary pads which will be made locally by women who will soon be trained in tailoring, girls’ personal hygiene, counselling, and girls’ rights.

“A total of 1000 women from Mother group shall receive orientation and counselling in hygiene, health and HIV/AIDS awareness, leadership and business skills, team work among others.
“And 56 women shall be trained to use sewing machines and learn tailoring skills so they can make clothes and re-usable sanitary pads,” Muluzi told Malawi24 in an interview.

The re-usable sanitary pads will be distributed during girls’ workshops known as ‘Girls Showers’ which shall be held during school holidays and selected weekends.

In additional, during the showers, girls will be trained in personal hygiene and sanitation, sexual and reproductive health rights and career guidance and opportunities.

However, the boys have been not left out as their workshops called ‘Boys Retreats’ shall be conducted where they will be trained in life skills, women rights and career guidance.

The targets for boys are 40 and 260 boys from New Foundation Secondary School and Nyezelera Primary School respectively.

The project is being implemented with support of Mk10 million from African Child Trust (ACT) from United Kingdom

ROLIFE was established in 2008 with a mission of contributing towards the social and economic development of effective and well-coordinated community responses aimed at mitigating the impact of challenges faced.