Chitani Community Sustainable Development Organization (CHICOSUDO) received funds in September for the End Child Marriage Now!!! Protect Her Rights project. We received a report from Leslie Kapile, Programs Manager for CHICOSUDO, about the first activity conducted earlier this month.
CHICOSUDO organized a community awareness event where youth, particularly girls and boys from 12 to 17 years old, were engaged. The meeting focused on disseminating information on sexual reproductive health and rights, the importance of education, and dispersing school materials, including notebooks, pens, and soap. A total of 30 youths, 10 boys and 20 girls, benefitted from the first event.
Aginess speaking with excitement to the CHICOSUDO Programs Manager, Lesley Kapile, about the project.
Aginess, a girl in Primary Seven at Pasani Primary School, expressed her happiness at having access to sexual reproductive health information and what her rights are. To her, the awareness was an eye-opener as access to such information remains a challenge in the local area of Ntonya. She also appreciated receiving school materials.
The awareness meeting was attended by the key leaders, including the Chambe Ward Councilor, Child Protection Worker, Group Village Headman of Ntonya, Head Teachers from the Pasani and Sukayakwe Primary Schools. The Ward Councilor was happy with the approach stating, “We cannot end child marriages if we do not meet the needs of the girl child and in the absence of boys.” The Group Village Headman of Ntonya promised to engage the eleven remaining traditional leaders to promote education for girls in their respective villages and reinforce community bylaws that protect the girl child from any form of gender-based violence. He said, “We will adopt the community court and continue to strengthen our links with child protection workers, the victim support unit, and the government through the District of Ntonya’s community-based organization.”
Child marriage is a prominent issue that has negative impacts that range throughout the lifetimes of the girl child. Bridget Mkomo, CHICOSUDO Project Officer, explained that the idea of engaging girls at risk with information and support before they return to school from the long-term COVID-19 closure would help them remember the importance of education and empower them. She then added, “the CHICOSUDO campaign will continue to strengthen the capacities of traditional leaders, teachers, parents and other key leaders in the community to ensure that community bylaws are enforced thereby protecting the sexual reproductive health rights for adolescents and girls in the area and beyond. At the same time, through the campaign, adolescent and girls will be empowered to speak out and report any case of abuse if happen. We expect to reach 11 villages.”
