shloboe boe
Robin Muchetu, Senior Reporter
SAFEGUARDING the lives of adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) is crucial in preventing new HIV infections in Zimbabwe with statistics from the Ministry of Health and Child Care indicating that the 15 to 24 age group experiences the highest rates of new infections.
To counter that sad development Mrs Margaret Mlambo Chirimuuta, a cosmetologist from the Dangamvura suburb in Mutare, who is serving as a facilitator for the Determined, Resilient, Empowered, Mentored, and Safe (Dreams) Girls initiative under the Family Aids Care Trust (Fact) has dedicated her resources to empower young girls.
She owns Maggy’s Salon Academy which she is using to help young ladies and school drop-outs with hair-dressing skills to keep them out of the streets, bars and pubs.
“I worked for 25 years as a hairdressing lecturer at Mutare Polytechnic, focusing on vulnerable students, many of whom lacked full Ordinary Level certificates. Initially, our program catered to those who struggled with basic literacy. However, we later expanded to include students with full certificates as well.
Eventually, I opened my own training salon to better serve students from Dangamvura and Chikanga, easing their transportation burden. I wanted to provide a local, affordable place for them to acquire valuable skills,” said Mrs Chirimuuta.
With a degree in Counselling and Theology, she has taken on a dual role of educating her students about hairdressing and imparting essential life lessons and skills for navigating difficult situations. “I aim to instil hope in them, especially when they feel hopeless,” she emphasized.
Since joining Fact in 2018, Mrs Chirimuuta has provided vocational training to adolescent girls and young women, leveraging the organisation’s support to train a large cohort. Fact supplies products and resources necessary for their training sessions, covering all aspects of the beauty industry.
“My training equips them with the skills needed to create employment within their communities, particularly focusing on young women who have dropped out of school. Many unmarried girls facing early pregnancies experience ostracism in their communities. The Dreams programme helps restore their dignity by providing them with skills that enable them to earn a living. I ensure the community benefits from their training and begins to see their potential,” she explained.
On completing their training, the girls receive National Foundation and National Certificates and are trade-tested.
Mrs Chirimuuta has opened doors for AGYW, with many advancing to teaching positions at other institutions, securing employment in pharmacies, or launching their small enterprises in various salons.
“These training programmes have also attracted stakeholders in the beauty industry who employ the girls to train other young women. I make sure they identify their areas of specialisation based on their strengths, such as hair braiding, nail technology, makeup artistry, massages, and salon management,” she added.
The local community supports this initiative, allowing their children to acquire skills that keep them away from behaviours that may lead to sexual immorality, subsequent HIV infections, and other health risks due to idleness.
The girls undergo various life skills training sessions, including topics addressing sexual harassment.
“AGYW are educated about good behavior and their Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR), mentored by experts in the HIV field. Our goal is to ensure that once they complete their vocational training, they are not at risk of contracting HIV. Teaching HIV prevention is a core focus of our programme,” she said.
Mrs Chirimuuta noted that some participants had retaken their O-levels after their vocational training and now hold full certificates. She believes that the knowledge gained through the beauty school has safeguarded their health and equipped them with an understanding of HIV risks and prevention.
Miss Tsitsi Manyisa, a 19-year-old beneficiary of the programme, shared her experience: “After my father’s death, I could no longer afford school and soon became pregnant. Through the Dreams programme, I disclosed my situation, and they enrolled me in the training. I learned about HIV, money management through women’s groups, self-confidence, and vocational skills in hairdressing. I am grateful for the starter pack from Fact that allowed me to begin my hairdressing business.”
She added that she now feels empowered and knows how to protect her health.
The National Aids Council has launched initiatives like Sista2Sista and Brotha2Brotha clubs aimed at enhancing social awareness, improving social skills, and increasing sexual knowledge among young girls, helping to keep them in school and reduce HIV transmission and teenage pregnancies.
Ms Jean Mukoyi, the District Aids Co-ordinator for Mutare District, reported that the district comprises 55 wards (36 rural and 19 urban), with an estimated population of 531 562 (according to ZimStat 2022). The HIV prevalence rate is 8,18 percent, with an incidence rate of 0,12 percent, slightly below the provincial average of 0,14 percent.
“Young people are the most affected by HIV infections. Mutare is a hub for diamond and gold mining activities and serves as a border area with Mozambique, presenting a corridor connecting to South Africa.
These economic factors contribute to high mobility and disposable incomes, which can lead to increased risks of HIV transmission, particularly among young women,” she said.
Siphakeme .Mnindwa
