CFI: Empowering the girl child

(grandmother’s) grandchildren, I have to get up very early in the morning to fetch water, cook for the family and prepare the younger children for school. Sometimes I go school late because of all these chores, but I make sure I never miss classes,” said Patience.
She values the time in school, knowing too well that as an alternative, she would be back home helping “gogo” brew more beer for sales to the local community. 
It is through beverage sales that “gogo” hopes to put food on the table for her grandchildren and also put Patience and her siblings through school, but this money is never enough.
In 2008, Patience missed most the year away from school as there was never enough money for school fees. 
More than 1,3 million Zimbabwean children are like Patience, orphaned and in the care of their elderly grandparents.
Many a times, the grandparents cannot afford to feed them or send them to school.
It is in the face of this uncertainty that many girls drop out of school and become vulnerable to abuse.
Fortunately, Patience’s dream for an education has been salvaged with assistance from the United Nations under the UN Child Friendly Schools initiative, a scheme led by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in which more than 250 schools are being propped to create learning environments which are physically and psychologically conducive for learning.
Particular emphasis under this initiative is to bolster efforts aimed at equipping the girls like Patience, with an education and to allow them the invaluable opportunity to explore the vast world of opportunities before her. 
At Nyanzira Primary school, support from UNICEF National Committees in Germany, Italy, Norway, Switzerland and the United States of America has helped with the construction of classroom blocks, toilet blocks, hand washing facilities and a play centre while Patience and her colleagues have each received a set of writing books, stationery and textbooks. 
Throughout the 250 pilot CFI schools in Zimbabwe, Girls Education and Empowerment Movement (GEM) Clubs have also sprouted as one of the mechanisms to identify girls in need of support and also to educate them on their rights and abuse prevention and response.
During school holidays, GEM camps are held at which girls from all over Zimbabwe go through training in life-skills, career guidance and assertiveness skills. 
More than 11 700 girls have gone through such training over the last two years.
Patience has been an active member of the school’s GEM club since 2009 and today she chairs this vibrant group of children who use the platforms of role playing, drama, poetry and arts to express themselves and talk about the challenges which they face on a day-to-day basis. 
This group of 52 girls is a part of the vibrant GEM club and is currently trying out peer-to-peer support methods to help ease the financial burdens faced by most of them. 
“We have just negotiated with the headmaster to allow us to raise money through the sale of popcorn during sports days because we want to raise money to help girls who have financial problems at home”, said Patience.
Back at home, Patience takes it upon herself to spread the girls’ empowerment message to her siblings and her neighbours. 
She knows too well that the culture of silence and suppression of girls in communities has greatly contributed to the violation of the many rights which are due to all children.