Senior Chief Chiwala of Masaiti District has from last year to date withdrawn 20 young girls from marriages.
Senior Chief Chiwala working together with organisations such as Advocacy for children and women in development dissolved 20 marriages out of which 9 girls had returned to school.
The traditional leader said some girls have already completed their secondary education and will proceed to higher learning institutions.
He also disclosed that other girls have since been employed by local companies within the chiefdom.
“Some of the young women were mistreated in marriages owing to financial challenges, and the companies within the chiefdom provided employment for them”, Senior Chief Chiwala said.
ZANIS reports that the traditional leader was speaking when a team from Aids Healthcare Foundation (AHF) called on him at his palace.
AHF Country program Director Martin Matabishi said the organisation was in the chiefdom to distribute 1,280 sanitary pads to school going girls at Chiwala and Sungabukanda primary schools.
Mr. Matabishi said most girls in schools are affected with menstrual hygiene which forces them to skip classes while some later on stop school.
He said some are forced into having sexual relations to enable them raise money for sanitary pads.
And Sungabukanda Primary School Head teacher Kelvin Muyanga thanked the organisation for distributing sanitary pads to the girls.