The coming in of various social media platforms has given the youth a lot of room to explore, have fun and interact.
But one thing that many of the youth do not realise is that the same platforms can offer them lifetime opportunities in terms of academic and career opportunities.
It is in this regard that High Court of Malawi judge Jean Kayira decided to tip the youth on the topic.
She has since called on girls and young women to utilise the Internet for personal development than just access to TikTok, Facebook and other social media platforms.
Kayira made the remarks when author Salome Mdala donated 30 copies of her second book, Five Steps to Ace your University and Scholarship Applications, to the young women grouping: Diaries of a Young Lady (DOYL).
The judge, who is also president of the Women Judges Association of Malawi, said girls and young ladies have to nurture technology if they are to grow academically.
“You can maximise use of the Internet. Invest in looking for life-changing opportunities physically as well as virtually. Let us leverage. Strive to be assertive and innovative to grasp the opportunities out there,” she said.
As an example, Kayira said she embarked on a journey to apply for the prestigious Fulbright scholarship on Google, after a friend mentioned about it.
“The book is a clear indication of Salome’s resilience having been awarded five scholarships in her life, including the Fulbright scholarship,” she added.
Mdala made K3 million donation after members of DOYL asked her to grace their conference next month, but she could not make it as she would be away for her doctoral studies.
“I believe in their cause. I know giving them the book would help pass on the knowledge that I have on this matter to their group for posterity. In it, I believe in the five steps: Just do it, building a strong profile, building a truthful personal statement, getting strong recommendations and preparing for interviews,” she said.
DOYL Blantyre lead Ulemu Kalanda, who is senior legal aid advocate at the Legal Aid Bureau, hailed Mdala for the gesture towards the girls and young women in the 12 to 35-years age gap.
“The books will be helpful to the young ladies, most of whom are secondary students and some are in university pursuing their bachelor’s or master’s degrees. This for us is not just a gift, it will be a helpful tool to equip us with the necessary knowledge as we are pursuing our academic goals to achieve whatever we want to achieve,” she said.
