First Lady lobbies support for girl education

First Lady Monica Chakwera has asked New York-based United Culture Centre  International president Li Yiling for partnership to support girls’ education in the country.

During the meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (Unga) in New York, USA, Yiling called for a stronger relationship with the First Lady’s Shaping Our Future Foundation.

She said her organisation will initiate education and cultural exchange programmes for the youth in Malawi and other nations.

Yiling handed Chakwera a distinguished award for promoting girls education in Malawi.

She said: “I am impressed with [Chakwera’s] work and we have agreed to work together to close the gaps addressing challenges encountered by youths and uplift women and young girls’ lives through education and cultural initiatives.”

Yiling further said the exchange of cultural and education programmes will provide opportunities for girls to participate in cultural and educational initiatives.

In her remarks, the First Lady welcomed the partnership approach, saying it can yield significant benefits for the youth through her Shaping Our Future Foundation.

She said: “There is a need to collaborate and engage with these international organisations to ensure that the cultural and education exchange initiatives have a lasting impact and contribute meaningfully to the long-term development of Malawi.”

Chakwera commended the United Culture Centre International for coming up with the exchange programme , saying Malawi has its own unique cultural traditions and values hence the need for collaboration.

United Culture Centre International is a non-profit organisation established in 1993 in Thailand and registered in New York  in 2003 to promote friendship and peace between different cultures.

It also addresses economic and social issues such as extreme poverty, gender equality and sustainable development.