By: Lloyd M’bwana
The launch of the Pakachere HIV Prevention education project to primary school pupils expects to empower them with self-sufficient knowledge and skills on how best can fight against the pandemic scourge through various prevention measures.
The Community Care Project Trust Malawi (CCP), a local non governmental organization through a Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) with Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MoEST) is piloting the project in six districts including Lilongwe, Mchinji,Balaka, Mangochi,Blantyre and Nkhatabay where by learners are imparted with life skills which will enable them to make right choices in life.
The project targets 2,000 vulnerable pupils from standard seven and eight in five primary schools including Mtsokamkanasi, Chatuwa, Kauma, Mbwetu and Chipala before it’s phased out to other parts of the country with the aim of preparing young ones to become the nation’s productive ambassadors.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with The Maravi Post after the project launch on Thursdays, November 19, at Kauma Primary School ground, Area 12 in the capital Lilongwe, Christine Chingondole, CCP’s Project Director emphasized the need for empowering young ones with life skills lessons in a bid for them to make independent choice on their health life.
Chingondole said piloting of the project in the five selected primary schools will give the organization formidable experience before phasing out to other parts of the country in order to reach making on how best can prevent themselves from the scourge of HIV/AIDS pandemic.
“It high time HIV/AIDS messages were supposed to target young people who are the future of this nation with life skills lessons which will help them to make right choices in life and become productive citizens. This is the reasons we have come to address the knowledge gap among pupils in simplicity form.
“Through the project pupils are given life skills lessons, learning and teaching materials and also economic support to most vulnerable one that their participation in school must be sustainable in a bid to reduce drop out rates.
“Currently, we are operating without a proper sponsorship but rather through various fundraising activities with other chain stores such as Shop rite which has helped us with learning and text books. Its, in this regards, we are appealing the corporate world to come forthwith with material and financial support in this productive course of sharpening the country’s future generation”, appeals Chingondole.
The Maravi Post later caught up with Dorine Mayere, Primary Education Adviser (PEA) for Lilongwe Urban who expressed gratitude over the project launch saying many young people’s lives will be saved based on skills to be acquired.
Mayere said the project will give opportunities among learners being glued to school in most of their time which expects to improve performances in class and reduce drop out rates as the program has the full package to instill knowledge and skill on life experiences on health and education.
“The project has come at right time the Ministry of Education is undergoing reforms which includes revising curriculum to incorporate life skills which has HIV/AIDS component aimed at having a free HIV generation. With skills to be attained through the project expects reduction in HIV/AIDS discrimination among learners and openness between pupils and parents on sexual reproductive health”, delighted Mayere.
The Community Care Project (CCP) Trust was established in 1999 by the Pietermaritzburg Christian Fellowship (PCF) currently known as Grace Generation Church such that it come into being in Malawi in March, 2014 with the vision to see every individuals as precious to God, and having physical, emotional and spiritual needs through provision of HIV/AIDS education and leadership development among others.
