Why Is Lucia Not In School?

Lucia

By Zakaat Sambo 

Lucia Rajab is a 18 years old girl with a year old child. Lucia lives in Chingwenya Village, T/A Jalasi in mangochi.

Lucia dropped out of school when she was in standard 1.The reasons for her dropping out of school were that her parents are very poor so she decided to leave school to help them in finding resources for the family by doing piece work (maganyu) to find basic needs.

Lucia got married but even though she is married, she faces a lot of problems like shortage of food and needs for her child because her husband has no secured job to support the family. If the husband has no money then there's no food. She takes care of her child alone.

There a change in Lucia’s life after she joined AGLET a project that is supported by UNICEF for adolescent girls literacy, she is now learning how to read and write, entrepreneurship and how to take care of her child through child care development (CCD) project.

UNICEF Programme Officer Mr Patrick Chakholoma says that the project has helped to prepare girls like Lucia in literacy and skills in order for them to face problems in their society with easy.

Even though government and private organisations are encouraging girls to go back to school but Lucia has no interest in going back to school because of her age. If Lucia Rajab doesn't go to school, what does her future have installed for her, her child and family?.