Pageant for primary school pupils to tackle early marriages
JOURNALIST Mary Mundeya is set to host Mr and Miss Elementary competition on 10 December 2022 at Zimbabwe College of Music in Harare.
The pageant is set for primary school kids aiming to raising awareness against early child marriages in the country.
In an interview, Mundeya said preparations are at advanced stage, with some aspiring contestants already starting to apply.
“For years the menace of child marriages has been prohibiting children from growing up and realising their full potential.
A number of remedial programs have been, with time, put in place but the emergence of Covid- 19 reversed the efforts made during the last 25 years in as much as the eradication of child marriages is concerned,” she said.
Mundeya said that the pageant seeks to nurture and groom young models.
“Mr and Miss Elementary competition is seeking to find primary school ambassadors who will lead variou speer to peer programmes aimed at raising awareness against child marriages in a bid to move towards a child marriage free Zimbabwe.
“The pageant is meant to disseminate information on the dangers of child marriages as well as the provision of assistance with scholarly materials to students from marginalised communities who are at a higher risk of not proceeding with their education and getting married early,” she said.
Peer to peer mentorship will go a long way in as much as the eradication of child marriages is concerned.
“The majority of the kids, especially those from marginalised areas lack role models, therefore, by seeing someone of their age doing fairly well in a particular discipline can inspire others not to engage themselves in early child marriages,” she said.
Mundeya highlighted t hat competitors will be taught about issues to do with mental health, confidence building, children’s rights, personal hygiene and etiquette.
I nspirational guests are expected to grace the event. Winners will be rewarded with different prizes and awards that will be announced in due course.