CHITIPA (Maravi Post)—Traditional Authority (TA) Mwawulambia of Chitipa the northern border district of Malawi has admitted that his area has different harmful cultural practices that affects girl and boy child education.Mwawulambia made his remarks over the weekend during the launch of the community by-laws aimed at terminating school dropout, supported by the Livingstonia Synod AIDS Program (LISAP) through its Girls and Boys empowerment.
Speaking during the function, Mwawulambia said that such cultural practices increase girl child school dropout rate in the area.
“I should not hide here; we had high number of girl child dropping out of school because of some harmful cultural practices. This includes Kupimbira (where parents chose a man to marry their daughter and teaches her how to take care for her husband at the tender age) and mbiriya (where parents forced their young girls to get married to a rich family) among others,” said Mwawulambia.
“Apart from that as you know that my area is bordered with Tanzania, a lot of girls dropout from school in order to get married with the Tanzanian nationals with the assistance of their parents in order to get money,” he added.
However, Mwawulambia said with the coming of the by-laws as well as the civic education carried by LISAP through its project he believe that it will change things.
“Parents now understand the important of educating their girl child than forcing them into marriages. And with these by-laws which penalize any parents allowing their girl child to dropout school or get married, I believe that this will be a history,” he disclosed.
Concurring with the chief, Chitipa District Education Manager (DEM) Fanwell Chiwowa who was also the guest of owner said “40 girls of the area, dropout of school last year and 25 this year, this is because of early marriages.”
LISAP Director Mphatso Nguluwe said she is happy that the community has received the by-laws but appeal for its enforcement.
The three year project is supported by the Scottish government through Tear-fund UK with 460, 350 UK pounds.
The project is also dealing with economic empowerment activities to the villagers.