Adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in Phalombe district have been advised that they should refrain from indulging themselves in malpractices that may harm their future.
The plea came during the two-day girls’ conference which Phalombe district council organised in partnership with Population Services International (PSI) with an aim of offering the AGYWs with skills and knowledge about their health and future.
In an interview, Phalombe district commissioner Rodrick Mateauma hailed the gathering saying knowledge passed to the girls will help their lives in as far sexual reproductive health is concerned which may decrease further teenage pregnancies and early marriages in the district.
“This conference is a new initiative for the council and I am sure that our girls will learn a lot from here and that they will teach others who are not here so that they should have a bright future thereby decreasing early marriages in the district,” he said.
On his part district’s youth officer Ian Sukali said the initiative is supporting some of the features in the AGYWs’ strategy and that through the conference the girls have received counselling from experts of which will help them in their day to day lives.
“Apart from sexual reproductive health services that they have received from our main partner, these girls and young women also received advice from role models which we brought here who also passed through troubles but they made it, I am sure that these girls are no longer the same now due to knowledge acquired,” said Sukali.
The conference saw 50 girls and young women being brought together both in school and out of school. One of the participants, Hilda Sambuka, a form three student at Phalombe secondary School said they have learnt a lot from the conference.
“We have learnt a lot of things which will help us in our day to day lives. We have learnt which skills one needs to apply in when she is in a situation that may ruin her future, we are very grateful to the organisers,” she said.
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