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Genet mentors 200 girls

Girls Empowerment Network (Genet) has graduated 200 girls from Dzoole B in Dowa, after completing a mentorship programme in Safe Space Initiative.

Safe Space Initiative is a programme under which girls are taught about harmful norms and gender-based violence (GBV) and empowered on how to handle the same.

During the graduation at Tchawale Community Ground in Mponela, Dowa on Friday, Genet programmes and spotlight coordinator Twambilire Kayuni said they have 1500 targeted graduands in the district from five traditional authorities (T/As).

The graduands showing off their certificates during the graduation ceremony

“When it comes to cases of gender-based violence, (GBV) they can help the young girls with a way forward,” she said.

Dowa District social welfare officer Jonathan Bonongwe commended Genet and Spotlight for enlightening the girls and advised the graduates that their graduation meant they were now empowered to advise young women.

He said: “The fight against GBV is still on but there is light at the end of the tunnel. We are supposed to find the root cause of this behaviour if we are to get rid of the vice.”

Bonongwe, therefore, asked chiefs in the district to take a leading role in finding a lasting solution to the problem.

One of the girls who had been saved from a violent and abusive child marriage through the Spotlight Safe Space Initiative, Catherine Zekiel, said she was grateful to the project, saying she  now believes she has a future after being mentored.

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