May 11, 2018 marked ‘a dream come true’ for both students and staff of Don Bosco Youth Technical Institute as yet a very important campaign aimed at ending Gender Based Violence (GBV) was launched.
The director of Administration at the Ministry of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare Mr McCallum M.M. Sibande graced the occasion and could not hide his excitement over such a bigger step taken by the Don Bosco students’ parliament and assured the college of government’s support in ensuring a GBV free environment at the college and communities around. Also in his speech, he encouraged the gathering to boldly stand without fear or prejudice in condemning the malpractice and stop every act of Gender Based Violence among students, staff and society.
The Rector and Principal of Don Bosco Fr. Michael Mbandama in his statement said, “it is not about sexual abuse or who is more dominant than the other male or female, but it is more of how to complement each other in this vastness of creation and richness of human qualities that is defined by our different genders”.
“As Don Bosco Youth Technical Institute, we pledge to be more open to cases that may arise because of these gender biases. We want to be among the first technical colleges in Malawi to openly say no and no to gender based violence. We want to say that in order to stop gender based violence, the option that Don Bosco Youth Technical Institute is taking is to promote a family that recognizes the differences and respects the complementarity that exists. We want to say that in diversity, there is unity, in unity there is a family and in a family there is love. Gender is a richness in humanity and this launch of the gender based violence campaign will definitely make all of us aware of the differences but equally the strengths of every individual.
We pledge to partner with all government machineries to eradicate this evil that may be culturally stuck in our society.
Director of Administration, we want again to pledge that Don Bosco will try every effort to develop structures in this line so that no gender based violence is left uncorrected. We want to assure you that Don Bosco will always promote within the students programs and activities this family element within the premises and beyond,” Fr. Michael ended.
President for the college’s student parliament Clemence Chinkonde said that they are ready to fight GVB and encouraged the gathering to name and shame the GBV perpetrators in order to stop it all.
In a separate statement, Jean Munro a Gender and Education Specialist from UNESCO said, “Congratulations to the Don Bosco Student Parliament for organizing a professional and effective launch to the campaign to end gender based violence. You set an excellent example for the Mlodza secondary school students who were invited – I believe you inspired them and motivated them to speak out as you did with all members of the audience”.
The launch was not only patronized by Don Bosco students but also Mlodza CDSS learners, Chiefs from the surrounding community, a representative for the area’s parliamentarian Hon. Msungama
Activities at the launch included; unveiling a portrait depicting acts of GBV that must be condemned, Launch of the theme song by the music club at Don Bosco College titled ‘pa1’, Drama, Poetry and Dance.
