" In 2008, I got a marriage proposal from one of the boys in my village who used to live in town. However, the marriage didn’t last long because of ActionAid and the Junior Parliament´s work in my village. I joined the Girls Club, and it made me realize why young girls shouldn’t get married so young.” – says Manzur Rajab.
It is common for girls in Pebane to get married at an early age, records show that over 1,000 girls between the ages of 12 to 16 are already married. This prohibits girls from continuing with their education and following their dreams. However there is now hope that child/early marriages will be stopped because of Junior Parliament’s work in coordination with ActionAid and Education Directorate in Pebane district.
“I was studying in Grade 6 when there was the marriage proposal. I stopped going to school because I thought with the marriage I will have a good life rather than going to school. One day my friend Agira who was trained by the Junior Parliament members and Girls Club at the school where I was studying with support from ActionAid, came to my house and convinced me to go back to school. I accepted and informed my mother to cancel my marriage because I wanted to continue with my studying.
I went back to school and I managed to pass to Grade 7. I am now a member of Girls Club formed by Junior Parliament and ActionAid. If we are told about a marriage proposal of a young girl, we try to stop them.
I feel very happy and lucky that my friends helped me and my mother supported my decision to continue my education. I want to be a teacher when I grow up and I want to help other girls to follow the same path.” - concluded Manzur.
ActionAid Mozambique and Junior Parliament have trained and sensitized 329 girls in only Pebane region, and girls like Manzur have returned to school after being sensitized with their fellow friends on the importance of education.
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