Women Groups Benefits from CCJP Women Mentoring Process
By Vincent Bwinga
Many women from St Ignatius Parish in Chitipa District are cerebrating the benefits from the mentoring work that the Justice and Peace Desk of Karonga Dioceses has been doing.
Since 2016, the Desk has been doing mentoring processes for women groups as an approach for enhancing women’s knowledge on their rights so that they can take a leading role in securing their rights and those of girls in their respective communities.
Mentoring session’s activities are continuously carried out by trained women mentors who are identified by the project. These women are also role models to other women. On 18 August 2017 the Desk conducted a follow up activity of mentoring sessions at Wenya Trading Centre in T/A Mwenewenya. During the activity it was revealed that since CCJP introduced the approach, adherence to women rights has improved in the area. Men have slowly began to allow their wives to participate in businesses and other economic activities.
Such a women is Vilengiwa Kayira from Limbikilani Group. Vilengiwa said that men were taking advantage on women because of lack of awareness and forums where they could discuss issues regarding their rights, but with this approach, women are able to come together and discuss issues affecting their life and on how they can move forward.
Participants on day asked CCJP to assist them with capacity building on business management which the field officer in the parish Mr. Vincent Bwinga quickly responded that they may source a person who can train them.
The activity was organized by CCJP under the Community Managed Women Rights Advocacy Project which is funded by Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD) and it was attended by 44 women from 3 VSL women groups namely, Kumbukani, Tiwone and Limbikilani.