AGE Africa Country Director Ulanda Mtamba speaking on Saturday in Mulanje during this year’s all scholars retreat said school authorities should be engaging successful female entrepreneurs to inspire the girls.

This year’s all scholars retreat focused on shaping sustainable entrepreneurship. 

“Each year when we have all scholars retreat we choose a theme to focus on. In 2021, the theme was to do with financial literacy and last year it was about climate justice and I can tell you that after last year’s event, our girls planted over 1800 trees in different places including schools,” said Mtamba.

Shamirah Chimkwita, a form three student at Namalowe Community Day Secondary School said her wish is to recycle wrappers of biscuits, sweets and jigs and make door mats and wall decorations.

“I would like to encourage my fellow girls to take menstruation as part of their life and that they cannot dropout of school because of this condition,” said Chimkwita.

Deputy Desk Officer responsible for Secondary Schools at the Shire Highlands Education Division Fannyce Maziko Mittawa was the guest of honour during the retreat.

Mittawa told Zodiak Online that her office is working with female teacher mentors and mother groups in withdrawing girls from marriages and taking them back to school.

“In Mulanje we are lucky to have organizations like AGE Africa that are promoting education of a girl child through different activities including role modeling. Motivational talks by different successful women do inspire our girls, no wonder in Mulanje, there has been a reduction of school dropouts among girls in recent years,” said Mittawa.

Among the motivational speakers were Patricia Mchiswe of Landirani Gifts and Cynthia Maele, one of the founders of a Mulanje based Rise and Shine Private Primary School.