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Ensuring that schools have a safe learning environment is important to help children stay in school, and learn to the best of their ability. Violence and abuse in school can often lead to children not reaching their full potential in life
Collins Gwape, 17, is in Standard 8 at Magomero Primary School in Mangochi, Malawi. When he was younger, Collins was friends with a group of popular boys at school. They would often physically abuse girls and touch them inappropriately.
“We used to hit girls and disrespect their rights,” says Collins. “If we’re in an argument with a girl we would make sure we would corner her after school and swear at her.”
Today, Collins, who comes from a poor family and has three siblings, is also well mannered and confident. But it has not always been this way.
“I used to be very troublesome. I was a nuisance with the way I had no respect for people around me, particularly girls. I even used to verbally abuse my sister.”
Transforming Collins
The change in Collins came about when he joined the boy’s transformation programme at his school. It is under UNICEF’s Safe Schools initiative which is being implemented with Ujamma Pamodzi Africa in primary schools in Mangochi, Dedza and Salima districts.
The transformation programme aims to train boys to change their mindset from violence and abuse and create friendly and respectful environments.
“I joined because I saw my friends going there and I was curious to know what it was all about. My friends told me that they are taught about what they should do if they experience violence in their homes, and other skills.”
One particular experience that made Collins realise how much he had learned from the boy’s transformation programme.
He was walking home from school in the evening, the sun was setting and it was close to getting dark. He found a group of boys surrounding two girls. The girls were visibly uncomfortable. The group of boys harassed them as they tried to force the girls to go out with them.