UTM Member of Parliament for Nkhatabay North Chrissie Kalamula Kanyasho has said that if women and girls are empowered, Malawi can create more peaceful societies for easy access to quality life.
Kalamula says when a woman is able to realize her dream of having good education and access to quality health services, she would be able to realize her economic opportunities and more say at home and in the community.
She says that education for girls helps to unlock their potential hence her continued efforts to build more primary schools in her Nkhatabay North constituency.
“Girls’ education goes beyond getting girls into school. It is also about ensuring that girls learn and feel safe while in school; have the opportunity to complete all levels of education, acquiring the knowledge and skills to compete in the labor market; gain socio-emotional and life skills necessary to navigate and adapt to a changing world; make decisions about their own lives; and contribute to their society and the nation,” said Kalamula who is also UTM Deputy Publicity Secretary.
Kalamula said, with her international experience after staying in USA for long time gives her an opportunity to lobby more donors to help her constituency in development projects mainly in women and girl child empowerment.
“I’m very much concerned with violence against girls that prevents them from accessing and completing their education. Girls are forced to walk for long distances in search of their future thereby increasing risks of lives to predators who rape them.
“Another problem is the child marriage that also has proven to be a critical bottleneck to girls future in this country. However poverty is the underlying problem that stops girls from attaining their dreams and this has been my biggest headache of my life,” she said in a telephone interview with Malawi Voice.
The MP has urged government to partner with the private sector in building more schools in villages to allow more girls to realise their aspirations.
“Let government give some incentives to the private investment mainly on tax holidays and others and together we can make education an “industry” for the country will benefit more from such partnerships.
Kalamula concluded her remarks by thanking chiefs and parents in her constituency who are working tooth and nail to realize the potential of their children.
She said: With help of CDF, the people of Nkhatabay North Constituency mainly from Usisya Ward together, we have built this Usingini Primary School which is expected to be officially opened this October.
