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Yeukai Tazira recently in Chimanimani

Gone are the days when young adolescent girls had to stay in bush boarding facilities and walk long distances to school as the National AIDS Council (NAC) in conjunction with Plan International and the United Nations Development Programme has constructed a low-cost boarding facility at Mhakwe High School in Chimanimani.

The boarding facility will accommodate 32 vulnerable girls.

Addressing the media recently, Chimanimani AIDS Coordinator Mrs Priscilla McIsaac said they came up with the concept to ensure that adolescent girls do not drop out of school.

“Plan International is paying fees for 148 girls here at Mhakwe High School.

“They are also paying for their examination fees and recently we received school uniforms, jerseys, school shoes and satchels.

“Further advocacy was done in Matebeleland by the team and they were then told about girls travelling 10 kilometers to school hence the construction of this boarding facility and another one at Ndima Government School,” she said.

She said the girls will start staying in the facility as soon as the certificate of occupancy is granted by the relevant authorities.

The boarding facility at Mhakwe High School for vulnerable adolescent girls

Mrs McIsaac said some girls were renting in places which were not conducive.

“Some girls were paying to stay in bush facilities behind shops and bottle stores so to bring an end to that NAC, Plan International and the UNDP came up with this idea,” she said.

Plans are being made to construct a boarding facility for boys as well.

Mrs McIsaac said teachers had been educated to offer comprehensive sexual education at the school.

“Comprehensive sexual education should be age-appropriate and we are teaching children and giving them information which they require.

“Our main port of call is abstinence from sexual activities as it is the only sure way of not contracting HIV,” she said.

She said various income-generating projects were being done at the school to make sure there is food for the girls.

“The fund also came in with USD$3000 and the school bought a water tank and pipes for a garden.

“They planted potatoes and tomatoes which will assist the children when they come,” she said.

Speaking during the same event NAC monitoring and evaluation officer Mr Sibert Hlatshwayo said they were going to pick the most vulnerable children to stay at the boarding facility especially those who were affected by Cyclone Idai.

Meanwhile, NAC also put up a youth centre in Chimanimani where young boys and girls are being taught about sexual reproductive health, HIV testing and counselling as well as Gender-Based Violence educational sessions.