Ashley Tenga
TellZim
Reporter
Reporter
BUHERA
– The
Junior Member of Parliament (MP) for Buhera West Member of Parliament (MP)
Ashley Tenga is devising a plan to fight Gender Based Violence (GBV) and early
child marriages through a concerted campaign in the rural areas.
– The
Junior Member of Parliament (MP) for Buhera West Member of Parliament (MP)
Ashley Tenga is devising a plan to fight Gender Based Violence (GBV) and early
child marriages through a concerted campaign in the rural areas.
The 16-year-old Tenga,
who was one of the 22 citizen journalists trained by Tell Zimbabwe on August
31, said she was saddened by the rampant incidences of GBV, sexual violence and
early childhood marriages in the district.
who was one of the 22 citizen journalists trained by Tell Zimbabwe on August
31, said she was saddened by the rampant incidences of GBV, sexual violence and
early childhood marriages in the district.
“Buhera records high
numbers of those vices every year and that is due to many factors including
poverty, lack of education opportunities and antiquated traditions. I feel privileged because I am able to go to
school and I as a person am not a victim,” said Tenga.
numbers of those vices every year and that is due to many factors including
poverty, lack of education opportunities and antiquated traditions. I feel privileged because I am able to go to
school and I as a person am not a victim,” said Tenga.
She said she will soon
be conducting a community mobilisation campaign targeting school children and
community leaders to form a constituency-wide force against GBV, early child
marriages and sexual violence.
be conducting a community mobilisation campaign targeting school children and
community leaders to form a constituency-wide force against GBV, early child
marriages and sexual violence.
“If we go into
communities and speak to the real people who matter, we would be creating a
good chance to deal a blow to those vices. People should be made to see that it
is wrong to deprive children of their childhood through any form of violence
and abuse. Children should also be liberated from fear and must be given courage
to report whatever they feel to be a violation of their rights. In other words,
we want to encourage people to watch out and speak out,” Tenga said.
communities and speak to the real people who matter, we would be creating a
good chance to deal a blow to those vices. People should be made to see that it
is wrong to deprive children of their childhood through any form of violence
and abuse. Children should also be liberated from fear and must be given courage
to report whatever they feel to be a violation of their rights. In other words,
we want to encourage people to watch out and speak out,” Tenga said.
She also said she was
going to use the knowledge gained from the citizen journalism training workshop
to sharpen her communication skills against child abuse.
going to use the knowledge gained from the citizen journalism training workshop
to sharpen her communication skills against child abuse.
“There are many cases
of child abuse that reach the courts of law but there are even more that go
unreported. Rape is rampant and much of it never gets to be punished. I feel
citizen journalism is critical in highlighting some of these problems,” said
Tenga.
of child abuse that reach the courts of law but there are even more that go
unreported. Rape is rampant and much of it never gets to be punished. I feel
citizen journalism is critical in highlighting some of these problems,” said
Tenga.
The Tell Zimbabwe
citizen journalism training workshop was held at the Better Schools Programme
Zimbabwe (BSPZ) premises at Murambinda growth point.
citizen journalism training workshop was held at the Better Schools Programme
Zimbabwe (BSPZ) premises at Murambinda growth point.
