The Malawian girl child is talented and has the capacity to use her skills to drive herself out of poverty, UNFPA Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, Ms. Lydia Zigomo, has said.

Addressing mentors and mentees from the UNFPA-supported Technology and Empowerment Enhancing Networks in Safe Spaces (TEENS) program at Chiseka in Lilongwe, Ms. Zigomo urged young women to aspire to achieve their dreams.

The TEENS project is facilitated by UNFPA and the Girls Empowerment Network (GENET), with funding from the Embassy of Ireland, to support adolescent girls and young women. It employs interactive design approaches and new technologies to create safe spaces for vulnerable young women and adolescent girls.

After listening to testimonies from community leaders and young women on how the project has created a conducive atmosphere for young girls to thrive, Ms. Zigomo inspired them to dream bigger.

“Whatever your vision is, aspire and dream it. Don’t let people tell you that you can’t do it. Just go ahead and do it,” she said.

Drawing on her own experiences, Ms. Zigomo made an impassioned appeal to young women participating in the program to avoid rushing into marriages.

“Everyone who has a child should choose to have a child at a time when they know they can look after the child. It’s your responsibility to look after your child,” she said.

Ms. Zigomo called on the program participants to be the change that this generation desires.  She said:

You have a chance to do something different from what your parents did before you. You have a chance to change. You are a generation that can make Malawi better. I believe that we can end child marriages in this lifetime

She added that a girl, no matter where she lives, must enjoy all the rights in life.

“Her life should be an open book where she writes her own story. As she moves through life, chapter by chapter, she must be nurtured, encouraged, and supported. By doing so, she will recognize that she is deserving and worthy, valued, and has the capacity to excel beyond the confines of her community.”

The Regional Director explained that, in Malawi, gender-based inequalities prevent girls and women from enjoying their rights and achieving their potential.

“Women and girls in Malawi face various challenges, as they do not have equal access to and control of resources and opportunities. Traditional gender roles in Malawi value girls’ and women’s submissiveness, putting them at greater risk of violence and child marriage, and leading to lower self-esteem and aspirations.”

Speaking earlier, 16-year-old Doreen Kabowa narrated how, due to the awareness raised by the project, she was able to participate in the safe spaces, where she was mentored and decided to end her marriage, return to school, and become self-sufficient.

She had dropped out in Form 2 but is now back in Form 3 to pursue her dream of becoming a nurse.

Village headman Mankhamba noted that the project has opened the community’s eyes regarding girls’ rights, creating opportunities for young women to thrive.

“Before this project, we, as chiefs, used to certify marriages between young people mostly because of poverty and greed on our part. But because of this project, we now realize that we were wrong and we apologize for that. We have changed, and now, all 500 village headmen in this area know that this is wrong. We are now committed to safeguarding the girl child’s dreams and ensuring that we shape future leaders in this area,” he said.