136 dropouts return to school in Mzimba

Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP) Synod of Livingstonia through a project under its health department has brought back 136 school dropouts in Mzimba District.

Speaking on Saturday during an open day at Emcigohleni in Mzimba, the Synod deputy general secretary Joseph Mwale said the project, United Against Early Child Marriage, has had a huge impact on the community.

He said the project has helped 136 children who dropped out of school to go back to school.

Said Mwale: “Before the project, 176 children dropped out of school. However, following a number of sensitisation meetings, engagement with local leaders and youth, and campaigns conducted in the villages, a total of 136 students have gone back to school.”

He said the project has also contributed to reduction of early marriages in villages under Traditional Authority (T/A) Mzikubola.

He said: “Since the project started, teenage pregnancies have also been reduced. In some villages there were over five teenage pregnancies between January and June last year.

“However, since the project rolled out, there have been no reports of teenage pregnancies during the same period this year in these villages.”