UMZINGWANE, SEPT 8, (NEWSDAY LIVE) - Plan International Zimbabwe says the safe boarding facilities it has established in Umzingwane district are helping adolescent girls stay in school.
“When girls have a safe place to stay, they have a better chance to stay in school, learn and build the futures they choose,” the organisation said.
According to Plan International Zimbabwe, the Sustainable and Affordable Boarding Facilities (SABF) are addressing some of the barriers that prevent adolescent girls and young women from pursuing their education.
During the National AIDS Council Zimbabwe Matabeleland South provincial visit, stakeholders and media practitioners had the opportunity to see the interventions firsthand and hear about their impact on learners.
“By providing safer and more supportive environments, the facilities are helping to reduce vulnerabilities associated with HIV infection, child marriage and teenage pregnancy, while supporting girls to remain in school,” Plan International Zimbabwe said.
The organisation said the boarding facilities were designed to respond to challenges faced by girls in rural communities, where long distances to school and unsafe accommodation often force learners to drop out.
Plan International Zimbabwe added that the SABF model goes beyond infrastructure.
“Beyond the facilities and interventions are the girls themselves, their ambitions, resilience and dreams for the future. Investing in girls' education is not only about keeping them in the classroom. It is about creating opportunities for them to learn, grow and build the futures they choose,” the organisation said.
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The visit to Umzingwane highlighted how targeted support for adolescent girls contributes to better education outcomes and protection in communities.
