They Should Know

A group of 32 AIDS orphans, the majority of them girls, made the pieces that Ethel displays proudly. There are now some 1.2 million orphans in Malawi. HIV and AIDS have forced youth to take on heavy responsibilities, such as earning money and caring for their siblings and sick parents, when they are still children themselves. Given the weight of their burden, most have to abandon school.

Ethel stands outside of the community primary school. Every week she talks to orphans about the importance of staying in school. (© 2007 Brendan Bannon/CARE)

In 2004, CARE began working with a local organization in Zomba to address the impacts of HIV and AIDS in 22 rural schools. The organization, called the Malawi Schools Parents Association (MASPA), was started in 1999 by a small group of concerned parents who wanted to see improvements in the quality of education. One aspect of the CARE-MASPA partnership involved training 66 women and men — three from each participating community — to be HIV and education counselors.

Ethel is one of the trained counselors, and she is well-equipped for the job. She is a wise, determined and generous 61-year-old grandmother. As a CARE-trained counselor, she provides advice and encouragement to students, especially orphans.  She also talks to them about HIV. "I tell them that HIV kills. I tell them to fear it. I tell them that they should not be touching blood, not even that of their friends."

On her own accord, Ethel started a home economics school in 2005 for the orphans she was counseling.  She holds classes three times a week at her house, where 32 orphans gather to learn how to sew, cook, knit, farm and run small businesses.  She has named the operation, "Tidziwe Orphan Home Economics School."

"Tidziwe means 'they should know,'" Ethel explains. "They should know how to grow vegetables to sell and eat. They should know how to make clothes for themselves. They should know how to earn money to pay for school fees. Many of these orphans are very poor and living with their grandmothers, who are very old. They don't have soap. They don't have food. But, I tell them, 'Look, I am giving you the skills you need.  Don't worry, but GO to school. If you finish school, you will be independent.'"

Tandiwe Matkata is an orphan and a student of Ethel's, where she has learned to knit among other things. She said, "I like Mrs. Chidothe's class because she is kind to us. I go so that in the future I can do things on my own." (© 2007 Brendan Bannon/CARE)

When asked what she wants for her young students, Ethel says, "I want the children to continue with their education and to keep developing the skills I am teaching them. They need to have both to create better lives."

The battle to end extreme poverty is being fought everyday by remarkable women like Ethel, who, equipped with an education and committed to change, are leading their communities and nations in new directions. Recognizing the power of women worldwide, CARE partners with leaders like Ethel to achieve lasting victories over poverty in communities around the globe.

Support CARE today, and let women and girls around the world know that believe in their future!