Media Release

Mangaluru, Jun 12: St Agnes PU College, on Tuesday, June 11, celebrated the Girl Child Day which was held by the College Women’s Forum, Abhaya. The chief guest of the programme was Dr Hilda Fernandes, professor of pathology and lab director, Fr Muller Medical College, Mangaluru.

The programme began with the lighting of the lamp by the dignitaries. It was followed by the distribution of scholarships to the students by the chief guest. ‘Abhaya’ the women’s forum of St Agnes PU College has undertaken the noble task of providing scholarships to the needy meritorious students as a gesture to encourage them to study further and accomplish their goals. The distribution of the scholarships was conducted by Dr Tressie Menezes, the coordinator of Abhaya.

Later, the chief guest Dr Hilda Fernandes spoke to the gathering by citing examples from her own life, she brought out the significance of the need to raise girl children. She gave example of her parents who were proud to have daughters in their family and were eager to bring them up while the society looked down and had no hope in them. Dr Fernandes, by providing her mettle to the world, has shown the society what girls are capable of achieving. She further elaborated on what exactly women empowerment is and the need for women to take care of themselves while tending to the needs of their family and children. Women, carried away with their responsibilities, usually forget to keep a check on their health and well- being. Dr Fernandes raised awareness against breast and uterus cancer and she alerted the girls and women to stay vigilant and detect them at an earlier stage. Concluding her address, she called upon the girls of today to work hard, study well, acquire knowledge and make strides in all fields to prove that girls are no less than boys while also keeping in mind that in the name of empowerment, men must not be put down.

The chief guest’s address was followed by the vote of thanks rendered by the vice principal Sr Janet Sequeira.

Then, the students of the college put up a dance-drama to give the society a message, ‘To be a girl is not a shame, but is a matter of pride’.

The gathering was welcomed by Susan Andrea Mendonca and the programme was compered by Vidhula Kodira Lokesh.