First Lady of the Kingdom of Lesotho Madame Maesaiah Thabane has spoken highly of her Malawi counterpart First Lady Madame Gertrude Mutharika for the great contribution and clear vision in educating the Malawi nation through her foundation, the Beautify Malawi Trust.
Speaking in Mchinji on Monday where she was guest of honour during the official opening of a girls hostel constructed by Beautify Malawi, Madame Thabane said she was extremely amazed by the passion and strong commitment she has demonstrated in ensuring that more and more girls get a chance at education.
“What you are giving to Malawian girls is the most perfect gift any nation in this day and age should strive to give to their girls to achieve meaningful social and economic development,” said Madame Thabane.
The Basotho First Lady said times to push girls aside in terms of education are over.
“If we want to break the cycle of poverty, we must educate the girl child. If we want to defeat and end gender based violence against women, we must send our future women to school. If we want to achieve women empowerment we must invest and educate our girls,” she explained.
Madame Thabane who described the new hostel as “a gift from a mother’s heart” urged girls at Sopa CDSS to focus more on their education now that they have a proper and decent place to reside.
Mothers are always caring, they always want the best for us. They feel our joys and our pains. They bear and solve our problems. They are never tired of their children. She has been running up and down to put together resources to give you girls this hostel…her joy and that of all of us here will last a lifetime if all of you girls stay in school and pass your secondary examinations with flying colours,” said Madame Thabane.
Adding: “My appeal is that many more stakeholders will come forward and support this good and rewarding cause as championed by the First Lady. Let us reduce the high school dropout rates among girls by cutting the long distances that our children are covering to and from school by constructing more hostels.”
After opening then hostel Madame Thabane and Madame Mutharika cheered new and expectant mothers at Mikundi Community Health Centre in T/A Mduwa’s area in the same Mchinji district.
Madame Thabane is in Malawi for a five day official visit at the invitation of the Malawi First Lady.
On Tuesday, Madame Thabane and Madame Mutharika will take a tour of the Bwanje Rice schemes in Dedza district.