Let it be ‘Her Future Her Choice’
By Joseph Kayira
A mixture of deep-seated and outdated beliefs on what constitutes culture that should be generally accepted and religious beliefs that tend to promote procreation without responsibility expose girls to early pregnancies – early marriages further denying them access to Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR). Youths in Balaka districts are not spared.
More than ever before they need access to services on modern contraception, emergency contraception, HIV and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) testing, pregnancy testing and services, information of gender-based violence (GBV) and how to deal with harmful cultural practices.
Esnart: Everything is possible for the girl child if you take the right path (Photo Credit: MML)
In the areas of Traditional Authorities Kalembo and Amidu, there are cases of youths who have dropped out of school because of lack of knowledge and information on SRHR. This has prompted government and its partners to step up efforts to remove obstacles that hinder the youth to have free access to sexual and reproductive health services.
Such entrenched dangerous social norms prompted Centre for Alternatives for Victimised Women and Children (CAVWOC) and Family Planning Association of Malawi (FPAM) in collaboration with Oxfam, to roll out a project that advocates and leads in gender, women’s rights and youth related activities T/A Kalembo and T/A Amidu’s areas.
Dr Thambo: Project very transformative (Photo Credit: MML)
Through a project called ‘Her Future Her Choice’ CAVCOC and Oxfam, have invested in SRHR not only to benefit health but reap fruits in other related sectors such as education and agriculture – winners being communities they serve. CAVWOC is also “empowering Community Action Groups and Malawi Police Service Victim Support Units with essential resources to bolster their vital work in promoting SRHR and combatting gender-based violence.”
Esnart’s inspiring story
Esnart Tayipi has always wanted to work in government. She now works in government as Health Surveillance Assistant (HSA). Her story is a typical example of the old adage ‘where there is a will, there is a way.’ Esnart has gone through thick and thin to put body and soul together. She hails from T/A Amidu where cases of teen pregnancies were quite high in the past.
She is a beneficiary of Her Future, Her Choice and other initiatives by CAVCOC and Oxfam. Esnart has led many others to find salvation in the project too. She explains that when the project was rolled out, she immediately took interest in it.
Bolokonya: Community supportive (Photo Credit: MML)
“Where I come from, girls face a lot of challenges in terms of advancing their education. it is not uncommon to see girls getting married at an age they are supposed to be in class. So, when the Her Future Her Choice project was introduced to us, it opened our eyes. It changed our lives forever. We began to realise the importance of sending girls to school and how early marriages breed poverty,” Esnart says.
While others laughed at her for choosing the path she took, she concentrated on her education and taking part in activities of Her Future, Her Choice. She was trained to train others on SRHR issues and village savings.
“I started saving money. I was determined to finalise my education despite the challenges. People laughed at me. They said it was not possible for a woman to achieve what I dreamt of. I proved them wrong. I passed my Malawi School Certificate of Education and started volunteering in the project reaching out to youths with SRHR messages.
Kankhande: Hails all partners in the project (Photo Credit: MML)
“I wanted to be a role model to girls in my community. I want to tell them now that it is possible for a woman to proceed with her education and be independent afterwards. I am a living example that education pays. Girls should not rush into marriages. Instead, they should be building their future. Educated girls and mothers have the potential to contribute to national development,” she says.
Esnart insists that everything is possible for Malawian women and girls if they choose the right path. She advices communities to support girls’ education and not to expose them to unintended pregnancies, STIs, maternal mortality and sexual and gender-based violence.
Five years down the line of the project, she is happy that youths are able to speak out on SRHR and that the community’s mindset is changing.
TA Kalembo: Things have changed for the better due to the project (Photo Credit: MML)
“If you go around T/A Kalembo and Amidu you will find that youths are no longer dropping out of school. If anything, they have realized the importance of education over early marriages. They know their rights and are now setting up their businesses. This project has been an eye opener,” Esnart says.
Building a brighter future
From youth clubs to financial empowerment and from health rights and wellbeing to women and girls enjoying their freedoms, developments emanating from the fruits Her Choice Her Future, show that communities in T/A Kalembo and T/A Amidu’s areas are on the right path. They have been transformed; they are intent on building a brighter future for the youth.
United we stand: The project is creating a better world for communities (Photo Credit: MML)
Equipped with the knowledge to improve livelihoods and the health wellbeing of the people in her area among others, T/A Kalembo says CAVWOC, Oxfam and their partners have transformed lives and hoped that they would expand their project.
“I now look up to a brighter future because my people have been transformed. The chiefs are no longer accepting child marriages in their areas. I encourage girls who dropped out of school for whatever reasons including early pregnancies to go back to school.
“I am happy that things are changing for the better in my area. There are many youth clubs in the area where youths tap knowledge on many issues. in the past cases of early pregnancies were so many. They now know their health rights and are able to avoid unwanted pregnancies. Today, things have changed because everyone is talking about going to school.
A friend indeed: With the motorcycles available it will be easy to follow-up on cases (Photo Credit: MML)
T/A Kalembo says what remains now is to consolidate the gains from the project. She says communities must utilize the knowledge, safeguard property, and continue to implement goals of the project.
Director of Health and Social Services in Balaka, Dr. Chimwemwe Thambo concurs with T/A Kalembo saying the project was significant in transforming the lives of youths in the targeted areas.
He hails CAVWOC and Oxfam Malawi for protecting adolescent girls and young women through the Her Future Her Choice Project adding the two TAs had registered high cases of STIs and early pregnancies in the past within the age bracket of 14-24 years.
“I thank the two organisations for considering Balaka in the two TAs where cases of STIs and early pregnancies were quite high. Our youths have benefited a great deal from the goals of this project. These youths are now agents of change.
“It is encouraging that youths have been in the forefront in embracing change. I hope the goals of the project will continue to change things for the better. Government through the Ministry of Health is working tirelessly with its partners to ensure that health services are accessed by everyone including the youth. Although this project is coming to an end, it is my conviction that communities will continue to guide the youth to fulfil its goals,” Dr Thambo says.
Displaying boxes and bags provided by the project (Photo Credit: MML)
He emphasizes the importance of educating the girl child adding “if you educate a girl child you educate the whole nation.” Dr Thambo explains that SRHR services would be safeguarded and supported to ensure that they are accessed by all in communities.
CAVWOC executive director Kelvin Bolokonya says the five years of the Her Future Her Choice Project have been a success because everyone was involved – from chiefs to youths themselves. He said among others, the project was designed to achieve increased claiming of SRHR and quality services by the youth and young women in the two TAs.
He says the project involved key partners in government such as the Ministry of Health, Police and Social Welfare – and others which include FPAM who have been instrumental in raising awareness on issues that impinge the youth to have access to SRHR services.
Bolokonya says the project has changed lives of people in terms of creating village savings, formation of youth clubs, boost bee-keeping as a business among the youth and our aim is to fill the gap that has been there when it comes to access to different services.
Winning team: Ready to serve (Photo Credit: MML)
“Youths must learn to take care of their bodies. They must be empowered financially. Youths must build their future by making sure that they don’t drop out of school. The future is in their own hands,” Bolokonya says.
He also says that women empowerment is key in the development of every nation. Bolokonya adds that women in leadership positions as key drivers of change and the economy.
“We have come to realise that women who are educated educated are also keen about educating their children and raising their economic welfare. They care about their families, their communities and their nation. That is why our project also emphasizes women empowerment,” Bolokonya says.
Oxfam project coordinator Rejoice Kankhande says she is grateful to all partners for the successful implementation of the project in Balaka. She said the project would go a long way in changing the lives of communities in the district – especially in the areas of TA Kalembo and TA Amidu.
The project spreading messages through drama (Photo Credit: MML)
She says the project remains a milestone in SRHR implementation. Kankhande says Her Future Her Choice Project has tackled young people’s challenges in relation to SRHR in the two traditional authorities and hopes that after the project comes to an end mid this year, more youths will have adequate knowledge on SRHR education.
The project has since distributed different items to communities to support their efforts in SRHR and related concerns. Some of the items included motocycles, boots, reflectors and boxes and bags for carrying drugs, among others.
Her Future Her Choice Project is being funded by Oxfam and Global Affairs Canada (GAC) to empower adolescent girls and young women [10-24 years old] to secure their SRHR in target regions of Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Canada. In Malawi Her Future, Her Choice Project is being implemented in Lilongwe and Balaka districts.
In Lilongwe, the project is being implemented in TA Malili and TA Chimutu by Point of Progress and FPAM while in Balaka it is being implemented in TA Amidu and TA Kalembo by CAVWOC and FPAM.
Oxfam collaborates with the Ministry of Health and other government ministries, departments and agencies, parliamentary caucuses and committees, civil society organisations, and media in delivering the project interventions.
