MTC Educate A Girl Inc was founded in early 2019 by Maka Chikowero. Its vision is to empower girls from marginalized communities devastated by Cyclone Idai in the Chimanimani area of Zimbabwe. The program started with scholarships to keep orphaned girls in school and fight child marriage, which is a serious problem in rural African communities.
In addition to offering full scholarships and providing all school supplies to girls admitted to the program, MTC also started a community-based girls soccer program in 2019. While some girls do play soccer at school, many other girls do not play for lack of equipment and cultural biases which hold soccer as a “male” sport. Maka was able to source full soccer kits and shipped them to Chimanimani where girls and young women play for an exciting, all-girls soccer club that competes with clubs from
schools and other parts of the region. Through this soccer club, the girls and women are learning self-organization, leadership, teamwork, discipline, and handling failure in a safe, non-judgmental space where they can also learn about sexual and reproductive rights and get to speak with counsellors and career guidance officials.
MTC educate A Girl Inc has a full board of directors who volunteer to help organize fundraisers and other activities. Maka’s former soccer coach, her parents and a few friends came together in July 2019 and organized a one-day fundraising soccer tournament to generate funds. Our most recent project is the construction of a free community library and study center where the girls and young women will be able to access academic materials, typing and internet services. We are also appealing for bicycles for our scholarship girls so that they will not have to walk vast distances to and from school. Donations towards our ongoing scholarship program are also welcome. Every penny counts. You can donate here.
