Stephanos fights to keep girls in school

Stephanos Foundation, a Christian organisation working on improving the welfare and spiritual wellbeing of children in Malawi, has started donating goats to girls as a source of income for them to buy basic education needs and remain in school up to secondary level.

The project, Goats for Girls and currently targeting young girls in primary schools in Chikhwawa, is supported by three young girls from Canada who are fundraising the money for the goats.

Speaking on Saturday after donating the goats to 60 girls from traditional authorities (T/As) Maseya and Ngabu in the district, team leader of the three, Jannine Koert, said they came up with the idea after realising that most girls in the area do not complete their education studies due to poverty and lack of motivation.

“I was in T/A Maseya’s area in 2010 and I was surprised when I returned in 2012 to see that most of my age mates and friends were married and with children. I was not happy because I know they need education and the marriages and pregnancies were untimely.

“So when I returned home, I decided to come up with a project through Stephanos Foundation to save the future of some girls and have teamed up with two others,” said Koert, who is just 17.

She said the girls are in groups and when the goats breed, they will be sharing the nannies to others so that the number of beneficiaries continues to increase.

Stephanos Foundation executive director Jos Joosse said it was time for communities to graduate from handouts to services that encourage independence and sharing.

“Chikhwawa has many girls who drop out of school early due to poverty and we believe this initiative will change the story in the long run,” said Joosse.