The BEAUTIFUL Girl Child
- katlynsaley
- Oct 11, 2016
- 2 min read
On October 11th every year the world celebrates the International Day of the Girl Child. In Chipoka, Salima we had a special event to celebrate so many wonderful Malawian girls who are living in this area. Malowa Community Day Secondary School held a full day of activities for the community starting with the school holding a march, where students made signs with words related to the day.
After the march, the school came together with community members including, primary school students, mother group members, female role models, chiefs, etc. to put on an event for the Girl Child. Students performed dramas, songs, poems, and more, sharing with their community what they want them to know about the challenges girls are facing in Malawi and around the world.
Speeches were given by influential female role models, dances were performed, and a mural painted by students and PCV's was unveiled.
"There are 1.1 billion girls today, a powerful constituency for shaping a sustainable world that’s better for everyone. They are brimming with talent and creativity. But their dreams and potential are often thwarted by discrimination, violence and lack of equal opportunities. There are glaring gaps in data and knowledge about the specific needs and challenges that girls face.
One such issue that is standing in the way of girls’ progress is child, early and forced marriage. The data is daunting—one in three girls in developing countries (except China) get married before they turn 18. Girls who are child brides miss out on education, are more vulnerable to physical and sexual violence, and bear children before they are physically or emotionally prepared. The cycle of violence that begins in girlhood, carries over into womanhood and across generations."
UN Women works around the world to empower women and girls and raise awareness on their rights, advocate for the adoption and implementation of laws and policies that prohibit and prevent child, early and forced marriage, and mobilize communities against the practice.
On the International Day of the Girl Child, we stand with the global community to support girls’ progress everywhere. Let girls be girls."
Quoted from UNWOMEN.org
Below is a video created by my good friend, Andrew Datu about the event at Malowa CDSS on The International Day of the Girl Child.
One Final Note: Over the past several months the Secondary School in my community (the same students who put on this event), and myself have been working together to write a proposal for a Computer Center at our school. Computers are a privilege that not many students have access to in Malawi, but with your help, and funding from the Let Girls Learn initiative created by Michelle Obama, we plan to make these computers available for more than 400 students, as well as to the community. If you have the means please consider contributing towards this project, or if you know of someone who may be interested please feel free to share the link below.
To Donate Click here:
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