Girls Initiative Workshop Recently Held
A Girls Initiative Workshop was held on August 24 attended by 15 girl student beneficiaries. The workshop was conducted by Zione Matale, the FOCHTA executive director. Assisting her in group counselling was Mrs Mtiya, the FOCHTA Grassroots Committee Chair. In attendance were Merolyn Spoon & Elizabeth Matebule, both of whom are our beneficiaries now studying to be primary school teachers and who served in the role of mentors.
The session started with meditation, by reflecting on situations of the girls’ past as well as their present and future, by way of what they wish to achieve.
Each girl was asked to write down whatever demoralizing comments they might have received from people; what they feel about girls who have finished their secondary school education yet not doing anything afterwards with their lives; the difficulties they may feel from lack of food, clothing, etc. The papers were then discussed openly with counselling given to them. But in addition to group counselling conducted, a number of girls were also given a private, individual session to help with the problems they were facing.
Before the session ended, a game of netball was played by all.
FOCHTA is planning in future to invlove more students’ guardians and parents in this exercise. This will be in addition to the existing regular monitoring of their school progress as well as to their mental and physical state. FOCHTA is especially appreciative of the contribution of tertiary students like Merolyn and Elizabeth who spend time in mentoring