15-year old Khadija selected to secondary school

...family thinks marriage is safer




Happy with her selection: Khadija

BY WATIPASO MZUNGU JNR

A mixture of joy and anxiety has gripped Hashim family, a family which almost married off their 15-year old girl to an aging Sheikh in Mangochi, following her selection to Mtuwa Community Day Secondary School (CDSS) in the just released PSLCE.

While the giril, Khadija Hashim, is high over the moon with her selection, the family retorts, saying there is nothing to celebrate about because the family is too poor to meet her educational needs.

In January this year, The Sunday Times reported about Sheikh Abdulrashid Denis Nawani who wanted to marry Khadija Hashim of Mosiya Village, T/A Chowe in the district against her will after clinching a deal with the girl’s family.

Although Nawani claimed his religion backs such marriages, National Coordinator for Islamic Information Bureau (IIB) Sheikh Dinala Chabulika condemned the arrangement and described it irresponsibility not worthy coming from a religious leader who is supposed to be exemplary.

This paper learned then that using his financial and material presents to the uncles and aunts, the sheikh lured the family into sacrificing the girl’s future for the social, economic and financial needs the Man of God swore to provide if the Hashims allowed him marry the child.

He promised to keep Khadija in school while at the same time attending to the pressing duties and responsibilities of the family, a commitment which was heavily criticised by a teacher counsellor for the area, Jeniffer Salapa, and YouthNet Counselling (Yoneco) arguing the girl was not ripe to mix the two responsibilities.

Khadija was in Standard Eight at St. Augustine 3 Primary School when the cleric and her family were discussing her holy matrimony behind her backs.

“We cannot provide for her school needs. So there was no need to keep her in school in the first place. The agreement we made with the Sheikh was, therefore, a viable idea of helping her have a brighter future, especially considering the promises the sheikh has made, so far,” Habiba, a blood sister to Khadija, said when interviewed by The Sunday Times early this year.

Salapa and Yoneco facilitated cancellation of the marriage whose arrangements were through with the engagement ceremony scheduled for December last year. The human rights activists kept the girl in school and monitored her performance until she sat for the Primary School Certificate of Education (PSLCE) much to the displeasure and anger of the uncles and the suitor.

Breaking the news in an interview on Monday, Khadija said she was very excited with her selection and was looking forward to achieving her dream of becoming a nurse.

“I’m very happy...I’m going to work very happy so that I can reach my destiny. I want to become a nurse so that I can treat the sick in our staff-constrained hospitals,” the girl said.

But her guardians retorted arguing there was nothing to celebrate about because the family does not have the financial muscle to keep her in school.

The Hashims further worry is that even if a sponsor is identified, the distance their daughter will be covering when going to the school is prohibitive.

“Passing an exam can be good news really, but what are we going to be celebrating about in the midst of financial crises? Where is she going to get the money for fees?” her uncle, M’bwana Imedi, asked the uncle while seated at a shop he disowned to be his.

“Besides, Mtuwa is very far from our place. She can’t operate from home. Normally, pupils who get a place at the school operate as self-boarders. We can’t provide her needs if she chooses to rent a house nearby,” the girl’s sister, Habiba, supported. Mtuwa CDSS is said to be located about 30 kilometres away from Khadija’s home.

And the family still holds the view that Khadija would have been better under Nawani’s care than theirs because the sheikh has the financial capacity to handle her needs.

Asked what their role would be, both Imedi and Habiba just said: “There is nothing we can do. We’ve nothing to offer”. The two were part of the team arranging Khadija’s marriage to cleric.

Yoneco Youth Development and Human Rights Officer, Matthews Malunga, said the organization was looking at the possibility of shouldering the costs. He, however, said it was too early for the organization to confirm itself on the issue.

“Every year, we pay for 10 needy pupils into secondary schools. Unfortunately, Khadija is not part of this year’s team of Yoneco beneficiaries. Currently, we’re discussing to see how best we can help her,” said Malunga.

Teacher counsellor, Jeniffer Salapa, appealed for support from NGOs and people of good will for the girl to realise her dream.



Salapa: became Hashims' enemy



“We’re appealing to well-wishers and NGOs to come forward and bail out this girl. Her friends have already reported for classes. Money should not be a hindrance to her dream,” the counsellor said.

 Last year, Salapa and the Hashim family could not see eye to eye for her role she played in the cancellation of Khadija’s marriage to the aging sheikh.

END