Girls training at YWCA

The Safe Spaces Program held a training during the second week of September.  Ten girl students from Kamwala High School were trained at the Lusaka YWCA.

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Mrs. Alice Nzala, the Provincial Educational Officer

Mrs. Alice Nzala, the Provincial Educational Officer, visited the training site and presented the following speech:

ON BEHALF OF YWCA – LUSAKA BRANCH I WELCOME YOU TO THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF THE TRAINING OF MENTORS OF SAFE SPACES PROJECT. 

THE SAFE SPACES PROGRAMME IS A PROGRAMME THAT WAS INITIATED IN JANUARY, 2010 WITH ASSISTANCE FROM THE POPULATION COUNCIL. IT WAS INITIALLY STARTED IN LUSAKA WITH LOTUS BASIC SCHOOL, AS A GIRLS ONLY SAFE SPACE CLUB. THE AIM OF THE PROGRAMME IS TO EMPOWER GIRLS THROUGH SOCIAL NETWORKING, AWARENESS RAISING, ON GENDER STEROTYPING AND VIOLENCE AGAINST AND GIRLS IN SCHOOLS.  

WE ARE ALL SO FAMILIAR WITH THE STORIES OF ACTS OF VIOLENCE THAT ARE PERPETUATED ON GIRLS AND WOMEN NOWADAYS. THIS VIOLENCE HAS ALSO BEEN EXTENDED TO THE GIRLS IN HOMES. VIOLENCE AGAINST GIRLS IS ENDEMIC AND IT IS DETRIMENTAL TO GIRL’S EDUCATION.

HENCE A MULTISECTORAL AND HOLISTIC RESPONSE TO THIS NEEDS TO BE EMBARKED ON IN SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES.  THE SAFE SPACES PROJECT ADDRESSES THESE ISSUES BY EMPOWERING THE GIRLS FROM AN EARLY AGE TO BE ASSERTIVE AND TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS.

TEN GIRLS WILL BE TRAINED IN VARIOUS TOPICS SUCH AS HUMAN RIGHTS, REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND CONTRACEPTIVES, RELATIONSHIP ETC. THIS TRAINING WILL EQUIP THE GIRLS WITH THE NECESSARY KNOWLEDGE TO MENTOR OTHER GIRLS TO DEAL THESE ISSUES.

THIS PROGRAMME WILL BE IMPLEMENTED IN CONJUCTION WITH FAWEZA, CAMFED, WILSA, ZARD, ZNWL, ZAMWA AND PPAZ. THIS PARTNERSHIP TOGETHER WITH MINISTRY OF EDUCATION IS CRITICAL TO PROVIDE A HOLISTIC RESPONSE TO THESE ISSUES AS EVERY PARTNER IS PLAYING ITS ROLE TO COMBAT VIOLENCE AGAINST THE GIRL CHILD.

TO THE TEN GIRLS, TEACHERS AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY THAT WILL BE TRAINED, I URGE YOU TO TAKE THIS TRAINING SERIOUSLY AND LEARN AS MUCH AS YOU CAN SO THAT YOU WILL ABLE TO MENTOR THE GIRLS AT KAMWALA HIGH SCHOOL TO DEAL WITH LIFE ISSUES.

LASTLY I WSH TO THANK EQUALITY NOW AND THE UN TRUST FUND FOR THE SUPPORT THEY HAVE GIVEN YWCA AND ALL OUR PARTNERS WHO ARE HERE TODAY.

IT IS MY HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO OFFICIALLY DECLARE THIS
TRAINING OPEN.

THANK YOU!