Gloria: I want girls to believe in themselves

2 minute read

I want girls to believe in themselves 

Growing up in rural Malawi, I faced many challenges. My family could not afford my school fees and basic school supplies like pens, which made me very worried and unable to concentrate in class. 

My parents separated when I was young, and I was raised by my mother. My mother has always worked very hard to support me. She is a very strong woman. Even when things were difficult, she kept working to make sure I could go to school. 

When I look at her, I am inspired to be strong like her. I want to work hard so that one day I can help change her situation. 

When I was struggling to afford school, CAMFED supported me. CAMFED paid my school fees and provided the things I needed for my education, including books, pens, a calculator and other learning materials. 

This support helped me develop important life skills. In school, I learned about decision-making and problem-solving, and I have become more self-aware, assertive and confident.

“Whenever I remember my ambition, I always become confident.”

Discovering my ambition

My ambition is to become a psychiatrist.

Some people in Malawi suffer from mental health issues, and I want to help them. I want to understand mental illness, think deeply and find solutions. 

I became interested in psychiatry after meeting someone who worked in the field. That experience inspired me and made me realize that this could be my future.

I enjoy studying biology, physics, chemistry, agriculture and mathematics because these subjects are connected to my career. They also teach me how to think deeply.

I want to be a deep thinker because I want to find solutions to mental illness. 

Education is important to me because it will equip me with the skills I need to pursue my dream.

But my dreams are not only about my own future.

Here I am in class. With CAMFED’s support, I now have everything I need to do well in school and fulfill my potential. (Photo credit: CAMFED/Alivia Moore)

I want to support other girls, just as CAMFED supported me. 

People sometimes underestimate girls. 

I want to change this. I want girls to believe in themselves, stay in school and know that they can achieve their ambitions.