Grant Assistance for Grass-roots Human Security Projects
Handover Ceremony
The Project for the Construction of Twin Girls’ Hostel at Bandawe Girls Secondary School in Nkhata Bay District
October 2, 2015
Picture on the Centre: His Excellency Shuichiro Nishioka (right) and Mrs. Chikondano Mussa, Director of Secondary and Distance Education, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, cutting the ribbon to mark the official handover of the project at Bandawe Girls Secondary School in Nkhata Bay District.
|
On Friday, 2nd October 2015, His Excellency Shuichiro Nishioka, Ambassador of Japan to Malawi handed over newly constructed girls’ hostels in the Project for the Construction of Twin Girls’ Hostel at Bandawe Girls Secondary School in Nkhata Bay District under the Grant Assistance for Grass-roots Human Security Projects. The occasion was graced by Mrs. Chikondano Mussa, the Director of Secondary and Distance Education in the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology.
Bandawe Girls Secondary School is one of the best schools in the Northern Education Division of Malawi. Last year, the school managed to send 22 girls to university. Despite this achievement, the school faces a number of challenges including inadequate accommodation facilities for its students. Two girls had to share a bed in the hostels whilst another 54 were accommodated in a provisional hostel which was meant to be a sewing room.
In order to improve the living environment for the girls, the Government of Japan provided a grant amounting to USD158, 317 (about K68.8 million) to Bandawe Girls Secondary School under the Grant Assistance for Grass-roots Human Security Projects. The grant facilitated the construction of a twin girl’s hostel for 112 girls and one simplified hostel to accommodate 40–50 girls.
Speaking during the handover ceremony, Ambassador Nishioka explained that the support for the project is in line with the initiative launched in 2013 by Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of “Creating a Society in which All Women Shine”. The initiative aims at promoting women’s empowerment and gender equality not only in Japan but also in developing countries especially in Africa. Therefore, Ambassador Nishioka encouraged the girls at Bandawe Girls Secondary School to enjoy their lives in the new hostels and study hard so that they can become reliable female leaders who will take lead in promoting education for girls.
| Copyright (C): 2012 The Embassy of Japan in Malawi |
|
