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The guest of honour Zainabu Mwamwindi (Right) a special seat member of parliament for Iringa region through CCM ticket gives a present to one of the pupils supported by CAMFED during the International Women’s Day (IWD) at Tungamalenga Primary School in Iringa District, Iringa region . (Photo by Friday Simbaya)
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IRINGA: The Campaign for Female Education (CAMFED), a Non Governmental Organization through Next Generation Bursary (NGB) project has managed to help 926 pupils in Iringa district, Iringa Region in 2018.
District Program Coordinator Abia Mwisaka made the statement during the International Women’s Day (IWD) celebration held at district level at Tungamalenga Village of Iringa District, Iringa region recently.
The guest of honour during the IWD was Zainabu Mwamwindi (Right) a special seat member of parliament for Iringa region through CCM ticket.
Mwisaka said CAMFED has supported 926 students in 2018 with a value of shillings 221,303,000 / - in Iringa District, Iringa region.
She the Campaign for Female Education (CAMFED) is dedicated to the eradication of poverty in Africa through the education of girls and the empowerment of women as leaders of change.
Mwisaka said that CAMFED has also been involved in promoting and providing multi-sectoral education to raise awareness and ensure better education for children.
She noted that during this special day women they decided to attend and celebrate with orphans who students schooling at Tungamalenga Primary schools in Iringa district by providing essential school necessities such as exercise books, school uniforms, fees, shoes, and other items.
She said Camfed Tanzania was launched in 2005, working with the government to boost secondary school enrolment.
“We first started our work in the town of Iringa, where many girls who couldn’t afford secondary school fees were leaving home to become “house girls” in urban centers,” she said.
Frequently, they were abused and exploited, and many returned home infected with HIV, or pregnant.
By paying their school costs, they are able to support thousands of girls through high school every year.
However, many challenges remain: schools are understaffed and lack vital resources such as textbooks and equipment.
This International Women’s Day, Press for Progress help CAMFED by supporting girls to go to school - so they can then step up as leaders, entrepreneurs and philanthropists in their communities.
When you educate a girl with Camfed, she graduates into a powerful network of young women change makers who work with their communities to change prospects for girls and women for good.
In sub-Saharan Africa, 75% of girls start primary school, but only 8% finish secondary school.
Poverty is the root cause. Girls face more barriers to education than boys, including responsibility for household chores, younger siblings or ill relatives.
The cost of school fees, stationery, uniforms, and especially menstrual hygiene products is often beyond reach. Long journeys to school pose the risk of exploitation.
In addition, girls without educated female role models also lack a sense of entitlement to education - a psychological barrier to learning, which compounds physical and financial hurdles.
When families are destitute, marriage can seem like their daughter’s only chance of future security, but child marriage perpetuates the cycle of poverty, and usually spells the end of a girl's education. We know that if all adults had a secondary education, poverty would be reduced by two thirds, according to CAMFED report this year.
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