“My name is Thandi Manda. I am a single young lady aged 25. I started teaching in March 2012. I have gained a lot from Theatre for a Change especially the Tiphunzire project where I am one of the Agents of Change teachers.

 Before the intervention of the project there were a number of things I was not comfortable doing. I could not speak in public even if I had a brilliant idea to raise specifically on that topic. Adding on to that as much as I acknowledge that I am a girl, I was not much conversant with various issues especially with girls growing up. And as a teacher living in a rural area, there are many problems and challenges I meet in everyday life, and it has been very difficult for me to solve all these.

When I took part in Tiphunzire training workshops in December 2013, I have learnt very important topics which have helped me solve out some of the challenges I was encountering. I have learnt about assertiveness which has helped me gather courage to speak in public and also how to approach girls and parents from the community. With the various knowledge acquired in HIV and AIDS, puberty, gender and child protection, I am already a hero in my community and school. I have started gathering girls who dropped out of school from around the villages to go back to school.

Today I was on Zodiac radio talking about a story on a girl who was being defiled by her father as a result of the project. I was on the forefront of making sure that justice will take its stand and that the father is brought to book.

I anticipate that the project goes on well because it is a life changer to many girls especially in the rural areas.”

Star