Adolescent Girls Literacy Plus programmes manager Wilson Liwonde says they will construct a learning centre in Traditional Authority Nyachilenda in Nsanje District to provide remedial literacy lessons to adolescent girls.
The one-year project follows reports that about 44 percent of adolescent girls in the district are illiterate.
Speaking in an interview on Monday, Liwonde said high dropout rates have contributed to high levels of illiteracy among adolescent girls.
He said: “For instance, about 44 percent of adolescent girls in Nsanje are illiterate, meaning they don’t know how to write, read and count. This compelled us to come up with the initiative.
“We will establish a literacy centre where adolescent girls will be learning in the afternoon.”
Liwonde said only literate people can effectively contribute towards development.
Nsanje district community development officer Patrick Sipuni thanked the organisation for the initiative.
“The afternoon lessons will equip many girls with literacy skills,” he said.
Ruth Tizora, a girl from Bitilinyu Village, commended the organisation for the intervention.
“Many adolescent girls drop out of school due to lack of role models, lack of learning materials and child marriages.
“We are pleased that we will have a chance to learn how to write and read.”
Tizora said basic literacy skills will enable her vote without problems or run small-scale businesses.
The organisation is running the Capacity Building and Programme Development Project with support from Tilitonse Fund.
