GWERU – Jointed Hands Welfare Organisation (JHWO) recently held a walkathon in the city to encourage residents to support the girl child to go to school.
Speaking at a gathering for mentors and mentees at Chaplin High School after the walkathon, JHWO programmes manager, Peter Dube said if a girl dropped out of school or fell pregnant, it would be best to make sure she is put back to school.
“The focus is on supporting the affected girl child to go back to school and continue with her education because she would face so many challenges if she doesn’t. By advocating for the girl child’s right to go back to school, we are therefore supporting what’s good for her.
“So the march was about helping the residents of Gweru understand the importance of that. We need to join hands in supporting the girl child,” said Dube.
He said JHWO was also celebrating young women and girls who went through the organisation’s mentorship programme.
Chaplin High School head, Rosemary Marufu thanked JHWO for what she said was the organisation’s proven commitment to the perpetual promotion of the rights of the girl child.
“I would like to thank Jointed Hands Welfare Organisation for their continued support for the welfare of the girl child in our community. The girl child becomes a laughing stock if she gets pregnant and is dumped as no one will bother to support her to go back to school. I urge you to also help those girls in growth points and rural areas who have had their lives disrupted,” she said.
Meanwhile JHWO is engaging communities in Marange as part of wider efforts to help the girl child stay at school and discourage early marriages.local
