By Fostina Kamanga

Salima, November 29, Mana: Ujamaa Pamodzi Africa has trained male and female educators on how to deal and address various gender-based violence acts in schools.

Speaking on Monday, during the third phase of the training on Boys Transformation and Girls Empowerment and Self Defense, Ujamaa Salima District Coordinator, Tionge Mwanza, described the training as highly effective in tackling gender-based violence.

"These two projects are teaching boys and girls how to protect themselves from GBVs. Therefore, we are offering the skills, particularly in the event of an attack," Mwanza stated.

“We also have an initiative called Boys Transformation or Healing that aims to improve the way males view ladies by targeting them through their male schoolteachers. When there is GBV, we want the boys to step in and protect the girls," she continued.

Mwanza went on to explain that they concentrate on schools since it is also where students go to find solace.

According to a trainee, Elizabeth Gogoda of Kanjuwi Primary School, the Girls Empowerment and Self Defense project will give them the skills they need to teach girls in schools how to prevent gender-based violence.

Gogoda disclosed: "Students encounter a lot of gender-based violence even in the classroom, as girls would complain about being harassed by both teachers and other students."

Godfrey Chirwa, a teacher at Msakhwi Primary School in Chitala Zone, commented on the Boys Transformation project, saying it will make boys behave differently toward females and stand up for one another against gender-based violence.