Gondwe said many girls are dropping out of school as their respective families are failing to pay school fees and meet the costs of their education. “Girls from financially crippled families are becoming easy targets for arranged early marriages as they families fail to shoulder the burden of paying school fees and other costs related to education.” “Furthermore, quest for lobola (bride price) is driving these ultra-poor families to marry off their girls so that they raise money for their daily upkeep”, said Gondwe.
Peter Gondwe with some of the girls withdrawn from early marriages and re-admitted into school
Gondwe further said his organization plans to engage these girls into vocational skills training upon their graduation from secondary school education in order to empower them economically. He said it against this background that LICO organizes early marriage forums which pull together various stakeholders and school going girls to tackle issues affecting girl child education. During such forums several stakeholders mostly successful women are paraded as role models in order to urge the girls to be focused and set for themselves goals that if achieved would make them women of substance in the near future.
Mirriam Mkandawire, district health officer (DHO) for Rumphi is one of the role models and says its high time parents and communities prioritizes girl child education.
(Mr. Nyirenda, Journalist)