By now we should know that there are no limits to what Malawian women can achieve. When a Malawian woman does something extraordinary, we can only applaud and not get surprised. Jonasi Chifuniro Ndelemani, a senior group village head in Dowa district, reminded us of this when she chose to enroll in Secondary School. Ndelemani, who is in her 40’s will be sitting for her Malawi School Certificate of Education exams later this year. She plans to ace her exams and enroll in one of the public universities. Her goal is become one of the country's most educated female chiefs.
By doing so, she will not only improve her own life, but also alter the narrative that being in your 40’s or a certain age should be a reason enough to give up your goals and aspirations. As a leader, she understands the importance of learning new skills and knowledge in order to better serve her community, and most importantly, represent women and girls, who are disproportionately affected by most community issues such as a lack of access to clean water, contraception, and economic opportunities.
Most girls, in my experience, especially those from rural areas and less priviledged fail to go back to school after they get married or become pregnant. None of these circumstances are meant to derail a girl's desire to further her education or pursue her dreams. There was a time when either of these issues could prevent a girl from pursuing her goals but not anymore.
It's not always enough to just tell girls and women when it comes to decisions that affect them; sometimes it's preferable to show them that it can be done. This is what it means to advocate for a girl child; by this point, women in authority ought to be aware of the huge responsibility which they bear, and its significant impacts on young women and girls. Who would dare challenge Ndelemani if she was promoting the education of girls? Mind you, this is a prominent member of the community who decided to enroll in a classroom full of pupils who might be the same age as her children or grandchildren.
It should be the norm for women and girls to go back to school, or restart their lives in whatever capacity. However, I wish there was a long-term initiative to ensure a smooth back to school transition for girls or women from less privileged backgrounds who can't afford to hire a nanny or can't afford to take time off from their home businesses.
Here is a living proof that you can follow your dreams no matter your age or stage in life. What matters is your resolve to succeed.
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