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Jenny Mudolo, District Operations Officer in Mpika District, Zambia joined Sara and Christine, members of a Mother Support Group (local moms who are CAMFED Champions) at a CAMFED partner school, to learn more about their activities helping students thrive in class.

Jenny: Could you please introduce yourselves?

Sara: I’m Sara, Secretary of the Mother Support Group here at this high school in Mpika District.

Christine: I’m Christine, a Mother Support Group member. 

Jenny: Why did you decide to join the Mother Support Group?

Sara: I decided to join this group because I wanted to counsel girls and help them progress in education. Education is very important because it will help protect girls from the risks of early marriage and early pregnancy, so as a group we encourage the girls to concentrate on education and their school work. 

Jenny: What kind of challenges do girls face going to school in your area?

Christine: A lot of the girls around here face the pressure to enter into early marriage and drop out of school, to try and reduce the financial burden on their families. They also face the risk of early pregnancy, although now girls can return to school after pregnancy thanks to the re-entry policy here in Zambia.  

Jenny: Could you tell me about your activities as a Mother Support Group?

Christine: We do a lot of different activities to help every student in the school, both boys and girls. Recently we prepared homemade drinks and nshima (Zambia’s staple food of thick maize porridge) for the students to encourage them to come to school regularly and reduce absenteeism. Bringing food helps their academic performance as well as retention. We also help with the distribution of bursary entitlements for CAMFED supported students, like Mapalo.  

Sara: We buy and sell goods around the community, including groceries and chitenge — a traditional patterned fabric. This provides an income for us to spend helping vulnerable students at the school. 

We are also into maize farming. After harvest, some of the crop is sold and the rest is cooked for the students. 

Sara (left) and Christine (right) hand essential school supplies to CAMFED supported student, Mapalo.

Sara (left) and Christine (right) help distribute bursary support packages that include exercise books to CAMFED supported students like Mapalo (center). Credit: CAMFED/Catherine Cardwell

Jenny: How does it feel to be so active in supporting children and increasing retention in school? 

Christine: It feels really good that through our activities, we are helping to ensure vulnerable children can stay in school, focus and learn. It is very gratifying to see the smiles on all their faces when we bring in food.  

We Teacher Mentors work together with the Mother Support Group on activities like school meal programs and counseling. These women are living with the students in their communities, so know them very well. In case of any problem, the Mother Support Group members can come to us and say "This student has this problem, how are we going to sort it out?". They also offer a lot of support, including psychosocial support and emotional support to the students.
Susan Bwalya, Teacher Mentor*

Jenny: What are your hopes for the future?

Sara: We are hoping to raise enough funds to be able to construct a dormitory block for the girls here at the school. Some of the girls walk to school from villages very far away, and some even drop out due to the very long distance. So we would like it if those girls could stay in accommodation near the school.

Jenny: Lastly, what makes you happy?

Christine: What makes me happy is to see a girl in school, completing her education, attending higher education, and then doing something — like becoming a doctor or a pilot. That makes me feel great!

Jenny: Awesome! Thank you for speaking with me. 


*A Teacher Mentor is a government teacher who has received additional guidance and counseling training from CAMFED.

Hear from more of our inspiring Community Champions

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StoryTanzania

Neema

We are very proud to be among the CAMFED Champions as a Parent Support Group and to have our efforts recognized by the community. This gives us much hope and courage to reach many more vulnerable and marginalized students. I have been a teacher for 16 years now and through my experience have come across a number of students with challenges caused by poverty. That pushed me to join the Parent Support Group and be part of the movement that fulfils the dreams of such students.

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StoryMalawi

Rhoda

Rhoda comes from Zomba District in southeastern Malawi. She has been a member of her local Mother Support Group since 2012. As Chairwoman of this dedicated group, Rhoda leads other parents in their efforts to ensure learners can remain and thrive in school.

Website_story_-_landscape_SALAMATU

StoryGhana

Salamatu

Salamatu comes from a rural community in the North East region of Ghana. As a child, she had to walk nine miles to high school, and struggled to complete her education. Salamatu stepped up to chair a Mother Support Group in her community, offering support to vulnerable children, particularly girls. Her passion for education, along with her ability to offer practical support and empathy to others, makes her a formidable force for change in her community.

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