Page 10 - WATER SECTOR MAGAZINE VOLUME 3

KEEPING GIRLS IN SCHOOL

THROUGH ACCESS TO SAFE WATER

Linda drinking water from the school’s new borehole constructed by World Vision

By STAFF WRITER any struggles and bath on time. As such I which affected their performance in class.
am able to attend all my classes and I am Some would even reach the extent of
Cameras. Flashlights. Chasing leads always fresh because I bath at anytime I dropping out of school and get married,”
in the newsroom. Being on television want,” says Linda. he says.
and breaking news to the nation. That
is the life 16-year old Linda has been Throwing it back to earlier this year, there In its quest to increase access to
dreaming about since she was a kid. Now was no potable water source at the school. sustainable and safe water supply for all,
in Form Two at Edindeni Community Linda and the rest of the school relied on in the 2016 Financial Year, World Vision
Day Secondary School she works hard at a borehole in a neighboring village: “We through Khuyu Area Program in Mzimba
her arts and humanities subjects because would get up at 4 O’clock in the morning District, drilled a borehole at the school.
her teacher told her that will help her in in search of water. At the borehole we The borehole has made life easier for
becoming a journalist. would find a lot of women already lined learners at the school, especially girls.
up for the same water. We would come
“I see myself in front of a big camera back four hours later, tired and having “At first we wouldn’t waste the scarce water
reading the news and people watching,” already missed the first lessons of the day. on cleaning the hostels and the latrines.
says Linda while her friends look at her Personally, I wasn’t doing well in class.” As such we were living in very dirty and
admiringly as if they are already picturing unhygienic environment. Even ourselves,
her on the big screen. In addition, Linda says they had problems we were not looking this smart,” says
with boys and men pestering them for Linda.
Due to challenges of water access at the sexual relationships when they had to go
school, Linda’s dream initially looked in search of water in far places. In addition, since the borehole was
farfetched; now she has all the hopes that drilled at the school the dropout rate has
her dream will come true since she is Precious Phiri, Deputy Head Teacher at reduced by 80% and general performance
always on time in class and doesn’t miss the school says this also fueled school of students has improved by 65%. World
school as she no longer spend much time dropout and early pregnancies which led Vision has also constructed a girls’ hostel
searching for water. to early marriages. and other infrastructures at the school to
promote education.
“The school borehole is less than 100 “Along the way, the girls would be meeting
meters from my hostel. I get water without boys and engage in sexual relationships
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