By Innocent Kachingwe
Blantyre, May 30, Mana: TikTok Sensation, Hanareen Doness has taken her influence beyond social media by heading an inspiring initiative called Mwana Phuli Phuli which aims at empowering young girls in rural communities of Blantyre.
Mwana Phuli Phuli, which literally means a girl child who is very good looking and intelligent focuses on supporting girls’ education by sending them back to school and providing essential learning materials.
In an interview with Malawi News Agency (Mana) on Thursday in Blantyre, Doness said the project is driven by her passion for education and community development and that she hopes to expand her reach and help more girls return to school.
“Education is the key to a better future and I believe that through Mwana Phuli Phuli, I will ensure that girls in rural areas have the opportunity to learn and grow because every girl deserves the chance to go to school to pursue her dreams,” she said.
Doness added that despite the early success of the project, currently there was no funding for her activities.
She called on well-wishers and potential sponsors to join her cause as the initiative aims at breaking down barriers that prevent girls from accessing education.
“The response from the community has been overwhelming, however, in order to reach more children and make a significant impact, we need the support of the generous individuals and organizations,” Tik Tok Sensation said.
Doness disclosed that she was about to release a theme song for the project titled: ‘Ndikwanitsa’ meaning; I will achieve, which would be used to raise the project’s awareness leveraging her substantial social media following to gather support.
“Music is a powerful tool for spreading messages and I hope this song will resonate with people and inspire them to support this cause,” she said.
One of the beneficiaries, Glory Katsache, observed that before the support from the initiative, going to school was a daily struggle as her parents could not afford school fees and that she did not have the necessary educational materials.
She added that the initiative changed her situation and thanked management of Mwana Phuli Phuli for support, noting that the intervention is changing lives positively.
Katsache expressed hope that more girls would receive support from the initiative.
“This support means everything to me because now I have the school materials I need and I can attend classes without worrying about being sent home and I am so grateful because I can focus on my studies in order to make my dreams come true,” she said.
There are three students under the Mwana Phuli Phuli project who are being supported with school fees and as of now there is a campaign to raise K1.5 million to be used to help in the project.