Women under Chidoole Cooperative in Mwanza District, who previously benefited from educational support provided by CAMFED and are now engaged in sweet potato farming, have encouraged girls currently receiving similar assistance to remain focused on their education, saying it is key to building a better future.
Speaking during a media engagement in Mwanza, cooperative member Aida Chikadewa, from Joni Village under Group Village Head Kunenekude in the area of Traditional Authority Kanduku, said it is disheartening to see some girls fail to complete their education despite receiving support, with some becoming pregnant while others drop out before finishing school.
She urged girls who do not proceed to tertiary education not to lose hope but instead to explore other productive opportunities, such as farming, rather than rushing into marriage.
Meanwhile, Chidoole Cooperative Chairperson Mervis Kabango, from Kuziona Village under Group Village Head Leketa in the area of Traditional Authority Dambe in Neno District, said the cooperative has applied for funding from the Agricultural Commercialisation (AGCOM) Project to establish a piggery enterprise aimed at strengthening its income-generating activities.
Kabango said the proposed project will enable the cooperative to expand its support for girls’ education by providing school uniforms, stationery and other essential learning materials to vulnerable learners.
The media engagement brought together former CAMFED beneficiaries from Dickson, Ziyaya, Lipenga, Mkwichi, Kunenekude, Leketa, Kabudula and several other villages to share experiences and discuss ways of empowering girls through education and economic activities.
The meeting concluded with participants emphasising the importance of such engagements in promoting girls’ education and community development. However, some members were unable to attend due to a funeral in Mkwichi Village.
