Poverty, as well as parents’ failure to send girls to school, are some of the factors that are exacerbating poverty as well as downplaying education performance in Neno District. This was stated by the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace [CCJP] of the Archdiocese of Blantyre Coordinator, Joseph Kampango, while distributing scholarly materials to 100 girls in Neno District as part of the project ‘Shaping the girls’ future in Neno District.’ The [CCJP] of the Archdiocese of Blantyre is implementing this project under the auspices of MISEREOR Germany.
Students at Neno CDSS after receiving their uniforms, exercise books and school bags
The project is being implemented in the Traditional Authorities of Mlauli, Chekucheku, Symon and Dambe. The main aim of the project is to promote education rights and economic empowerment by eliminating harmful cultural practices. Other important aspects of the project include vocational skills training for young mothers and women, access to legal services through paralegal clinics established by CCJP in the Archdiocese of Blantyre, and payment of school fees for vulnerable, needy students, especially the girl child.
Students at Matope CDSS during the beneficiary verification exercise.
The project targeted 100 girls in the district since the beginning of the project in June 2023, who were in form 1 at that time. The project funding is pegged at MK481 million and is expected to take them through up to form 4. Some of the girl beneficiaries have sat for the JCE exams with an average pass rate of 84.4 % as demonstrated below. The performance of the girls has been extremely commendable. The girls have been supported with school necessities such as exercise books, school uniforms and school fees. We will continue supporting them until they take their MSCE exams in 2026, at which point we will conclude the project after three years.
Other Areas of the Project
CCJP intends to train more women in soap making and bakery to boost the women’s economic status in Neno district. As part of the economic empowerment, CCJP has trained 60 women in tailoring from August to December 2024 to help them cushion themselves as they sell their fabric designs for profit. The women trained in tailoring are also supporting the girls in the respective schools by providing reusable sanitary pads as part of menstrual hygiene. This has been a good step towards economic empowerment for women in the four traditional areas and towards reducing absenteeism among girls, as some cannot afford to buy pads from retail shops.
Young mothers and women during tailoring training in T/A Dambe are demonstrating their skills.
Tailoring students at Lisungwi CDSS pose for a photo after completing their tailoring course
The CCJP team is currently working on curbing violence against women and girls in the district through mobile courts clinics, where the paralegal team hears cases and provides legal advice on the same. Our stakeholders in Neno district, through the one-stop centre and the gender social welfare office, have played a critical role in collaborating on such cases within the district to resolve cases of defilement, rape and others related to domestic violence.
