Maria, 16, from Kawala village, Group Village Headman Mbando, Traditional Authority Mposa in Machinga district dropped out of school in 2020 while in Form 1 and got married.
She has now been withdrawn from the early marriage and is ready to go back to school and fulfill her dreams.
She says: “I would like to go back to school so that I can achieve my goal of becoming a nurse.”
Maria is one of 70 survivors of child marriages and school dropouts the Extra Mile Development Foundation (EMDEF) is assisting to go back to school in the next academic year.
In order to prepare for the girls going back to school, EMDEF in partnership with Awake for Change Rural Development Initiative (A4CRDI) held sessions with the girls in career guidance through motivation talks.
EMDEF Executive Director Towera Ngwira said the organization wants to improve school retention amongst adolescent girls in the area of TA Mposa.
“Our aim is to improve the retention of adolescent girls in schools and also provide comprehensive sexual reproductive health rights education.
“We are also looking forward to supporting the survivors back to school in January 2022,” said Ngwira.
On his part Group Village Headman Mbando praised the sessions as they will encourage the girls to restore their future.
“This is a good initiative as it is encouraging girls to go back school restoring their future. I and my fellow Group Village Headmen will make sure that every school dropout should go back to school and reduce such cases,” said GVH Mbando.
Executive Director for A4CRDI Hope Gee Williams said the organization partnered in the sessions in order to empower the survivors.
She said child marriages, early and forced are recognized under international Human Rights Law as harmful practices as they are often associated with serious forms of violence against girls.
“It is not only a grave human rights violation but also as affront to human dignity, well-being and impediment to sustainable development.
“We believe that this project will make a great contribution not only to retain school dropouts but also transform their lives and progress towards achieving sustainable development goals,” she said.
