The Gauteng Department of Social Development commemorated the International Day of the Girl Child at the Kwa-Thema Skills School on October 27.
The event, usually commemorated on October 11, was held later due to other commitments faced by the department earlier in the month.
“We are gathered here to celebrate and bring services to the townships, informal settlements and hostels,” said HOD of Social Development Thembeni Mhlongo.
“We also want to encourage a girl child to finish school, we don’t want them to fall pregnant at an early age and we would also like to inform boy children that pregnancy is not a one-man show; sex at a young age is unacceptable.”
Kwa-Thema Skills School acting principal Themba Maphalala said: “The purpose of this event is to highlight the challenges faced by a girl learner and also to familiarise learners with the digital era that we are in, the 4IR.
“We are hoping that learners will leave today being aware of the challenges that are faced by a girl child and as they say ‘knowledge is power’, if they know what is happening and what should happen then they’ll be able to defend themselves from perpetrators or and be able to fight the social ills.”
The school is working with a few NGOs around the community to ensure that the learners are safe and learning even outside the school premises.
“I’m grateful that we got to host this commemoration as a school on this day and were able to invite other schools in and around Kwa-Thema. This event is also a confidence booster to my learners as they will be performing, it will assist them in remembering they are important,” Maphalala concluded.
Among the schools which were invited were Lefa-Ifa Secondary, Nkumbulo Secondary, Phulong Secondary, Laban Motlhabi Comprehensive, Tlakula High, Geluksdal Secondary and Nigel Secondary.
Learners, teachers and guests participated in a 1.5km walk around the school before the programme started.
From the schools, which were invited, there were chosen learners who posed questions to MEC Mbali Hlophe.
The questions were on HIV/Aids, substance abuse, teenage pregnancy, LGBTQIA+, mental health, body shaming, peer pressure, cyberbullying and GBV.
Hlophe said: “We are working very hard as a department with different NGOs and other government departments to make sure we fight and eradicate GBV, teenage pregnancy and substance abuse and to bring programmes to schools and communities on educating people on the dangers of discrimination towards those living with HIV, those in the LGBTQIA+ community and body shaming. We will win the fight against mental health, bullying and peer pressure.”
Ward 74 Clr Thulane Simelane said: “This is a good programme for a girl child, though it hasn’t been a community programme we are hoping that as it has started here in this school it will spread out to the community. It’s a programme that can assist with issues such as gangsterism and will keep young girls well-behaved.
“Some mothers are single parents and everything lies with them which then becomes difficult for them to be able to mentor children as they are usually at work.”
Kwa-Thema Skills School head girl Phindile Masilela (18) said: “I learnt a lot today as we were taught to stay away from boys and sex. Also, I learnt of my rights. I would advise women out there to never allow being bullied and abused by men.”
The event took place after the MEC had visited Paula Mqoma’s family earlier in the day.
“The president has identified GBV as a national pandemic that we need to work around in raising consciousness across the country particularly among men that patriarchy, violence, in particular, GBV is not a good thing.
“You may be going out through your difficulties but you do not take them out on your female counterpart. The case is still ongoing and we will be there to support the family throughout,” Hlophe said.
Mqoma, a 47-year-old from Extension Two resident, died earlier this month at Pholosong Hospital after she was allegedly assaulted by her long-term boyfriend.
