Fashion designer sews hope for girls

By:Dais Captain.

She is a living example of what many girls around the world are currently going through in life. Her childhood was a mile of trauma as she weaved through an attempted defilement and succumbed to rape. Riddled by family difficulties to attain a good education, Flora Mijoya found solace in tailoring and fashion design.

Now a fashion designer and managing director of Mtende Designs and Mtende Foundation, Mijoya believes most girls lose hope and drop out of school due to life challenges such as lack of effective materials for menstrual hygiene management.

She says: “I want to assure them that they can achieve their goals because there is still hope for the girl child in Africa.”

Mijoya adds that her foundation focuses on the education and empowerment of girls.

“We want to reduce absenteeism among girls in public secondary schools and provide sustainable livelihoods for young women through the production and marketing of reusable sanitary pads that we design,” she says.

The fashion designer says they have already identified several public secondary schools that are to benefit from their long-term program.

“As of now, we are starting with Chigumukire Secondary School in Chileka, Blantyre, and one public secondary school in the same district where about 100 girls will be given reusable sanitary pads, buckets, soap, exercise books, and pens,” she says.

With funding from well-wishers across the country such as prominent lawyer Chancy Gondwe, Mijoya appeals for more aid.

“The door is always open for more donations from the government, non-governmental organizations, media organizations, and other well-wishers around the world,” she says.

Mtende Foundation wants to reach out to 32 public secondary schools in Malawi and expects to go beyond the borders as part of girls’ empowerment.