In September 2015, FAWE TZ in partnership with UNESCO conducted workshop training to integrate Tuseme into the safe space clubs in schools at Shinyanga rural District. Usanda secondary school was one of the schools visited. During the workshop, FAWETZ facilitator met a girl known as Christina Bundala. She was 12 years old and lives at Nganulwa village near the school. She was in form Two last year. Christina lives with her parents at Nganulwa village. Christina’s attendance to school was on and off. It was very poor attendance. One day one of her teacher decided to talk to her to find out whether she had any problem at home. Christina went very open to her teacher, she told her that her parents did not want her to go to school; they wanted her to remain at home so that she could get married and the man to marry her was already accepted by her parents. From the day Christina talked to her teacher she didn’t stop attending school. Her parents were mad on her, and one day she got home after school, her parents talked to her seriously that she must get married.
Christina was among the students who attended the Tuseme workshop conducted by FAWETZ at school. In the last day of the workshop Christina went back to her teacher and told her that she will never leave school at all. She asked her teacher to help/support her so that her parents could understand and let her carry on with studies. Christina revealed to her teacher that TUSEME workshop had helped to become confident, self-aware and motivated. No doubt and it is evidently shown that Christine is empowered. Her teacher Madam Eva Mungure promised to help and support Christina in any kind of support she will need for her to continue with studies, complete well and achieve higher.
On 3/3/2016 at 14.10 pm, FAWETZ staff spoke to Madam Eva Mungure to find out what is happening to Christine after Tuseme, she said that Christina is going on very well with her studies at Usanda School and she doing very well academically. The teachers continue to give her a lot of support guidance and counseling. The teacher went on commenting that, TUSEME workshop has helped not only Christine but also quite a number of child protection and gender issues in their school than before, e.g. male students were very hard in performing certain activities such as sweeping or fetching water, they thought that the duties are for girls. But after Tuseme workshop the students have changed a lot, they are supporting and helping each other in all chores given at school. Furthermore in the classroom the sitting arrangement, classroom interaction have been gender responsive as compared to before; boys and girls are all mixed up even in their group discussion. Teachers are no longer using abusive language.
Christina did very well in her National Form II Examination, and she is now in Form III
Christina’s dream is to be a LAWYER!
It can be done, let us join our hands together to END THE CHILD MARRIAGE, ……Child Protection is our mandate!