When we invest in girls we invest in our nation

First I would love to share the amazing news that 120 girls from Chisyabulungu Community School will be able to stay in school for an extra year. To some a year may not be much, but it is a great place to start – an extra year of schooling increases a girl’s earnings by 10%.

I created a petition with A World At School to criminalise child marriage in Zambia because I am passionate about seeing girls reach their full potential through education. I have always believed that as an educated girl, it is my responsibility to empower girls in my country – to help them unlock their potential.

I first visited Chisyabulungu Community School in April 2015. It is a school with 572 pupils and four teachers located in the Sinazongwe District in Zambia. Pupils are expected to pay K30 per year, about $4. Some pupils drop of school because their parents can’t afford the $4 a year.

In most cases, parents then marry their daughter off because it seems more sustainable for the family. Poverty and child marriage robs the right to education and realisation of their full potential from millions of girls. With more education, girls can delay marriage and help lift their families, communities and countries.

When I returned home, I was determined to find a solution to this problem. We hosted a fundraising event to raise money for these girls and managed to raise enough for 120 girls to stay in school for a year.

We collected some signatures for the Petition to Criminalise Child Marriage in Zambia. It was also an opportunity for us to collect some shoes for pupils to wear to school during the rainy season.

During this fundraising event, I met a lot of people that believe in the education of girls in Zambia. There are 315 girls at Chisyabulungu Community School and each one of them deserves to go to school and complete her secondary education. It was amazing to visit them again with great news.

Fundraising has not stopped. I am hoping that very soon each and every girl will have a sponsor until she completes her education. I am looking forward to carrying out #UpForSchool events to raise awareness and get more people to stand up for the education and future of the children of Zambia.