Mma Atsile launches First Lady's Girls Summit
Koketso Kgoboge | Thursday October 18, 2018 14:38
The closed meeting with the girls was organised in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). About 100 schoolgirls from various secondary schools in Palapye and surrounding areas attended the event. The summit was the first of many that would be held across the country.
The apt and candid adolescent girls that gallantly led the inspiring summit and their talented colleagues that entertained at the event swept the First Lady off her feet. Masisi did not hold back, she swayed along with the schoolgirls when she took to the podium for her address.
The aim of the summit was to equip girls with life skills that would help them to navigate through the common challenges of life like sexual exploitation and abuse, teenage pregnancy, cultural norms and practices, substance abuse, and peer pressure that are associated with distracting young girls.
The summit was also characterised by earnest presentations from girls that experienced gender-based violence, rape, and a champion of a battle against drug and alcohol addiction and testimony of the challenges of a first pregnancy.
Mma Atsile said the intention was to give the girl child a platform to dialogue on the issues that affect them in an honest and non-judgmental way, to share some inspiring stories and guidance that will arm them with pertinent skills to break barriers and become life champions.
She stated one of her key focus areas is to play a major role in supporting programmes aimed at imparting essential life skills to young people between the ages of eight and 18 years.
Masisi said the ultimate objective is to have outspoken girls who view the world with unbridled optimism and ambition. “I would like to see these girls flourish, reach their optimum potential, dream big and be able to face the realities of this world with no fear,” she remarked.
Masisi said the summit was inspired by a project run by the office of the First Lady of Namibia, Monica Geingos. She said on her visit to one such summit she reckoned they represent an effective way of engaging with young people that is befitting their shoes.
Geingos runs #befree movement that facilitates difficult conversations on topics such as teenage pregnancy, depression, violence, substance abuse, sexual violence, reproductive health and poor parenting amongst others.
“These events are extremely popular in Namibia. I was impressed by the openness of the youth, and it triggered some positive outcomes. I was inspired to replicate what Namibia is doing,” she said.