SOFF beneficiaries step their feet in university corridors

SOFF beneficiaries step their feet in university corridors

By Evance Chisiano
Blantyre, August 16, Mana: From Mayaka in the peripheral of Zomba rural, Dalitso Promise Mwale had no idea that one day she will receive a smile from Shaping Our Future Foundation (SOFF).

In fact, a gentle hug from one of the distinguished citizens is all she needed to push her to the corridors of a place of higher learning, Kamuzu University of Health Sciences where promises of life will surely be seen coming her way.

Dalitso was selected to Providence Secondary School in Mulanje to start Form 1 but encountered some setbacks in terms of school fees until SOFF came to her rescue in 2020.

SOFF took her all the way to 2023 providing her needs including school fees until her dream of becoming a university student came true as a starting point into the journey of success.

First Lady Madame Monica Chakwera recently opened a third edition of national Girls Empowerment Retreat at the University of Malawis (UNIMA) Great Hall in Zomba where Dalitso and 149 other girls were meeting for mentorship before a throng of ladies of repute who spared their precious time to interact and inspire the girls so that they too should rise above dizzying heights.

Madame Chakwera also narrated her story of a journey that took her to where she is today and said the girls too can make it to the top provided they remain focused, work hard, study smart and continue chasing their dream to the end.

“All the way from Rumphi, I was selected to Likuni Girls Secondary School in Lilongwe but things were not easy until Save the Children came to my rescue. This is where l drew the passion to help girls advance with their education,” says the first lady.

Addressing the delegates under the theme: My Dream, Funo Langa, the First Lady added that it was her dream to see educated, empowered and self-reliant girls for a better Malawi with strong conviction that educating a girl was a sure way of educating a nation.

Driven by the passion to lend a helping hand to needy girls compelled the First Lady to introduce SOFF and saw the importance of girls education bursary and girls mentorship through national girls empowerment retreats with the UNIMA Great Halls event being a third edition since 2022 to provide space where girls like Dalitso should meet to share life aspirations.
“Investing in the future of girls is not just an obligation. Its an opportunity to unlock the potential of an entire generation and pave way for a brighter future,” she adds.

With support from SOFF, Dalitso remained in school moving from one class to another upwards till she sat for the Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) examinations while dreaming of becoming a medical practitioner from one of the public institutions of higher learning, the Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (KUHES) whose motto remains; Excellence For Life.
When the MSCE exam results were released, Dalitso emerged a star scoring 11 points and this put her on the list of those that were selected for 2024-2025 tertiary education at KUHES to pursue Bachelors of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery in aspiration of an excellent life.

As one of the esteemed delegates, Dalitso said was most grateful to SOFF for providing all what it takes for a girl like her to be in school when reasons to drop out along the way were imminent.

“Im thankful to SOFF for coming to my rescue when I felt I reached the deadlock,” the seemingly flamboyant girl from Mayaka narrates, adding that she looked forward to hear and learn more from motivational speakers who lined up to inspire the girls.

She states that the third edition Girls Empowerment Retreat was an ideal space to provide mentorship, to learn more and discover other aspirations before setting her foot in the corridors of KUHES where she believed will be another spring board for life ahead.

Under SOFF bursary, 54 girls sat for the 2023/2024 MSCE exams, 47 of whom passed while 25 made their way to pursue various programmes in public universities in the country.

Among the 25 girls that rose high above others is Shyreen Nkunkhe from Chikwawa district who narrated her story at the 2024 Retreat explaining how she was enrolled into SOFF education bursary scheme that enabled her to stay at Providence Secondary School unshaken until she obtained 12 points to her academics.

“I am indebted to SOFF, Madame Chakwera is my pillar. You have a passion for girls, I was on the verge of dropping out of school if it wasnt for your intervention,” adds Nkunkhe who is also heading to KUHES to pursue Bachelors Degree in Physiotherapy.
According to SOFF, 2,744 girls have benefited from the education bursary programme and would like to see more girls benefiting from the facility if partners come forward to join in the campaign to protect, educate and empower the girl child who is mostly vulnerable to harmful traditional norms.

Exposure to age inappropriate online videos, pictures and conversations and other social pressures mostly push girls to immoral behaviors that eventually end up in early pregnancy and child marriages at the expense of their right to education.

Speakers such as Professor Eddrinnie Kayambazinthu of UNIMA gave motivational talk while Malawi Communication Regulatory Authority (MACRA) officials took the girls through a topic focusing on Child Online Protection and Safeguarding.

Other presenters from World Vision, SOFF and Malawi Girls Guide Association made presentations on topics ranging from developing good study habits, career choices, menstrual hygiene management, sexual and reproductive health as well as gender based violence.

MACRA, another partner in girls education had a banner at the 2024 Retreat inscribed: My Dream; A protected safe online space that foster my education.

MACRA board member, Stella Tchuthi explained that the communications regulatory authority was aware of girls vulnerability to exposure of age inappropriate online contents.

“We are living in a digital era. The digital generation is able to navigate new technologies which expose them to age inappropriate contents,” Tchuthi concedes, expounding that MACRA is mandated to protect every girl child against online crimes.

She states that this was the reason the regulatory authority chose the First Lady to be Online Child Protection Ambassador to ensure cyber security and hygiene for the children of Malawi.