A Gulewamkulu dancer in Neno Group Village Head (GVH) Dzomodya in Traditional Authority (T/A) Mlauli last week tried to rape two school girls.

The girls were returning from school when they bumped into the gulewamkulu who tried to enforce himself onto the girls but luckily the girls managed to escape with no harm done.

So far a National Initiative for Civic Education (Nice) Trust in collaboration with the District Social Welfare Office (DSWO) and Police in Neno district have embarked on a campaign that aims to raise awareness on the evils of gender-based violence and sexual violence against girls.

FaceofMalawi speaking to NICE officer for Neno, Auscar Nkhoma in an interview said; the campaign will complement government efforts in promoting the rights of girls and the marginalised and that “it is also ‘within our scope of work as a governance promotion organisation”.

Nkhoma further explained that they want to empower communities to have a voice in all issues affecting them in all spheres of life.

“We believe it is equally our responsibility to promote gender equality and girl education by protecting them from any sort of abuse and violence,” explained Nkhoma.

Nkhoma claimed that through the campaign, the culprit was traced, arrested and charged with attempted rape.