Bringing role models closer to girls

People who have achieved great things in life did so because they admired other people. Even influential scientist Sir Isaac Newton, the man behind the Law of Gravity, said: “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.”

Locally, former president Joyce Banda, once said she was inspired by the first female Cabinet minister in Malawi, Rose Chibambo, among other great achievers, to reach the top.

Banda said she was still young when she first saw Chibambo in Zomba.

“When I saw Chibambo for the first time, I put down the firewood I was carrying on my head. I looked at her and said to myself ‘I will be like her someday’,” said Banda at one of her development rallies.

Realising the influence that role models have on young people, the Forum for African Women Educationists (Fawema) embarked on a project to bring role models closer to school girls so that they should have somebody to inspire them to reach their goals.

One of the beneficiaries is Form Four student Triza Chisale, who is studying at Mwatibu Community Day Secondary School in Lilongwe.

Chisale says her role model is Dr. Mary Shawa, Principle Secretary in the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Welfare.

It is a year since Chisale picked Shawa as her role model.

“I had been going to school just for the sake of doing so without necessarily knowing what I wanted to get out of it,” says Chisale.

The Fawema project has been using female university students to talk to secondary and primary school learners on the need to dream big and the benefits of having role models. The organisation has been holding vigils for school girls where role models speak to them on the importance of working hard in school and avoiding pre-marital sex which can lead to early pregnancies.

Fawema project officer Maggie Khonde said her organisation understands that there are many school girls who have no role models hence they do not work hard in their studies.

“We hold the vigils and play video documentaries which show different motivating things to these girls. In some of the documentaries, role models speak to the girls on how they have achieved their current status,” said Khonde.

She said sometimes the organisation gives school bags to the girls so that they can easily carry their books and other school materials.

“When a student has no school bag, she takes a few books to school. Thus, she may fail to use some materials just because she has left them at home especially for those girls who are at community day secondary schools,” said Khonde.

Chisale is one of the 42 girls who received a school bag from Fawema in December last year.

“I have benefited a lot from the role models that Fawema brought to us. I joined a two day vigil organised by Fawema at Mitundu Secondary School last December where I was enlightened that good life starts at university not secondary school. Since that time, I started working hard so that I should go to university.

“Furthermore, I received a school bag which has helped me in my education. I am able to carry all my books when I am going to school. The school is far from home so sometimes I carry some food with me using the same school bag,” said Chisale.

Some of the students that Fawema has used as role models include those from University of Malawi (Unima), Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (Luarnar) and other private universities such as Skyway.

Fawema believes learning should go beyond the classroom.

“There are many girls who have never been to the city so they have never seen important buildings such as Parliament and the Reserve Bank. We took 42 girls around Lilongwe City so that they should get motivated to work in these offices someday. This encourages them to work hard in their studies,” said Khonde.

Indeed, the trip was fruitful as Chisale said she has added gears upwards on her approach towards education. Travelling together with other girls in a Mitsubishi Coaster registration number NN 97, Chisale saw the New Parliament Building and Reserve Bank for the first time. No wonder, she has good words for Fawema.

“Fawema also took us to Area 47 and Area 12 where we saw good houses. It is my dream to finish school and live in one of these houses. If we can work hard in school, we can succeed in life regardless our background as rural girls,” said Triza.

Mphatso Chansiya, a public health management student at Skyway University, has been giving motivational talks to school girls courtesy of Fawema. Chinsiya said there is a big difference between girls in Lilongwe who have role models and those who have not in as far as finishing school is concerned.

“In rural areas, there are few role models for girls. Many people who have achieved a lot of things through education live in urban areas. This has been disadvantageous to rural based girls. Girls who have role models work hard in class to achieve what their role model has achieved. Thus, I have been visiting schools courtesy of Fawema to motivate girls,” said Chinsiya.

Borrowing a leaf from Fawema, the Centre for Creative and Community Mobilisation (Creccom) recently held a two-day vigil for girls at Kanyenda Primary School which is under Makanda Education Zone in Ntchisi.

Chisale says she has never met her role model but she saw her photograph in a newspaper.

“I have never met Dr. Shawa but it is my desire to achieve what she has achieved,” said 21-year-old Chisale.

Hopefully, she will grow into an inspirational woman to other girls.