By Wezi Tjaronda WINDHOEK Over 50 San girls from two regions are attending a conference in Windhoek to equip them with skills that will help them remain in school. The conference, organised by the Forum for Women Educationalists in Namibia (FAWENA) with financial assistance from the USAID’s Ambassadors Girls Scholarship Program, is but one of the activities geared towards helping San girls stay in school. Because of their culture, poverty and other problems, San girls leave school at tender ages to get married. Theodin Naris, a teacher from Mangetti Dune Primary School told New Era yesterday their culture was the biggest impediment to girls attaining an education, as it required them to get married at an early age. “Many get married as early as nine and 10 years,” said Naris, adding that previously girls would even be married off while in Grade 3. Early marriages, poverty, teenage pregnancies, alcohol abuse, lack of support, high failure rates, relationships with “sugar daddies” and a general lack of interest in school have been identified as some of the reasons why San girls do not stay in school. The programme pays for school uniforms, supplies, board and lodging and psychosocial support for 950 girls, 110 of whom are San from the Kavango, Otjozondjupa and Omaheke regions. Deputy Minister of Education, Dr Becky Ndjoze-Ojo, told the girls that problems such as poverty should not stand in their way if they were determined to make a success of their education. The deputy minister encouraged the girls to take full advantage of the conference and make a full shopping list of what they want to achieve in school. She said the time was gone when San people were illiterate and poor. “You do not have to be illiterate because you are poor,” she said, urging the girls to make an effort to realise their dreams. Ndjoze-Ojo, who is also the FAWENA chairperson and an executive member of FAWE, said although education opens doors, girls should do their part by being committed in their studies and protecting themselves against HIV/AIDS and all other influences that stand between them and their dreams. The US government has provided about N$385 million to improve the quality of education and lessen the impact of HIV/AIDS on the education sector. At present, the Girls Scholarship Program, which is part of the Africa Education Initiative, supports 950 vulnerable girls in primary schools. US Ambassador Joyce Barr said poverty, discrimination and access to education were huge barriers to girls’ education in many parts of the world, including Namibia, where many disadvantaged girls are unable to enroll in primary schools, while those who do enroll drop out of school before completing Grade 7. “Girls who do not complete school are less likely to achieve their full potential,” she added. Programmes such as the Girls Scholarship Program, said she, aimed at enabling girls from San communities to enroll, complete their education and provide skills and confidence for them to pursue higher levels of education. “Educating girls strengthens Namibian society as a whole. Educated girls grow up to be women who are better prepared to make informed personal and political choices and contribute to their families and communities,” added the ambassador. The 56 girls attending the conference are Grade 1 to Grade 7 learners from Mangetti, Okaepe and Gunichas primary schools in the Otjozondjupa and Omaheke regions. The conference covers a variety of topics including HIV/AIDS, sexual reproductive health, action plans and psychosocial support. Participants will also be exposed to the scholarship’s success stories. FAWENA is the Namibian chapter of the Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE), a pan-African NGO founded in 1992 to promote girls and women’s education in sub-Saharan Africa in line with the Education for All policy. FAWE has 33 chapters.