Care Malawi in back to school campaign

Care Malawi has embarked on an initiative in five traditional authorities (T/As) in Salima District to help girls who dropped out of school return to class. 

The initiative follows rampant child marriages in the district, especially in 2020 when schools were closed as a precautionary measure against the Covid-19 pandemic.

Speaking in an interview on Monday, Care Malawi monitoring and evaluation coordinator Rabecca Makhuwira said they want to promote girl child education in the district.

“We want to send back to school girls that dropped out due to pregnancies or early marriages. We also want to support those still in school not to dropout,” she said.

Makhuwira said they established teen clubs in schools where the learners discuss life skills, share their problems and find solutions.

“We established after-school classes to help girls improve their performance in school,” said Makhuwira.

In an interview on Monday, T/A Maganga said girls who dropped out of school in 2020 returned to classes.

He said: “The closure of schools in 2020 fuelled child marriages and teen pregnancies in my area. Many girls dropped out of school.

“However, Care Malawi supported us to formulate by-laws to protect girls.”

Maganga said parents who marry off their children pay a K50 000 fine.

He also said since last year, traditional leaders and mother groups have withdrawn many girls from early marriages.

One of the mother groups members, Lucia Uledi, said they convince parents and girls who dropped out of school to return to classes.

“Following the closure of schools in 2020, at least 40 girls dropped out. With support from Care Malawi, we followed these girls and convinced them to return to school,” she said.

Care Malawi is implementing a K685 million Start Small Project to increase access to education for rural adolescents in Salima, Kasungu and Phalombe districts.