The Forum for African Women Educationalists in Zimbabwe (FAWEZI), with support from UNICEF, recently convened District Reflective Community Dialogues under the RISE (Resilient, Innovative, Skilled & Empowered) Project in Chitungwiza and Chipinge.

In Chitungwiza, key government departments, community leaders, service providers, adolescents, and education stakeholders came together to explore community-level concerns affecting adolescent girls. Building on this engagement, dialogues in Chipinge were held across Wards 23 (Muumbe), 25 (Rimai), and 29 (Maparadze), bringing together 98 community members, leaders, and local service providers for meaningful discussions on issues impacting girls’ education, health, and wellbeing.

The discussions focused on:
📘 Education pathways and school retention
💠 Access to age-appropriate sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) information
🛡️ Child protection and safety
🤝 Strengthening coordination among key stakeholders

Participants raised urgent concerns including child marriages, teenage pregnancies, school dropouts, drug and substance abuse, and vulnerabilities linked to diaspora orphans, unsafe long distances to school, unfenced learning environments accessed by motorbike riders, and peer pressure.

These dialogues strengthened collaboration, enhanced community accountability, and generated practical follow-up actions to address gaps affecting adolescent girls in both Chitungwiza and Chipinge. Through these engagements, FAWEZI and partners continue to ensure that adolescent girls are Resilient, Innovative, Skilled, and Empowered, equipped to thrive and actively contribute to their communities.