Karonga, Malawi -  Tiwonge's (not real name) world was shattered when her sister handed her over as a second wife to her husband, thrusting the young girl into a marriage she never consented to. Forced into a reality she couldn't comprehend, Tiwonge's innocence became a casualty of her sister's desperation.

For years, her sister was failing to get pregnant and the husband was threatening to find another wife.  The options were tough. She had either lose him to a stranger or marry off Tiwonge to her husband. The latter option was more appealing as she could still have close ties with the husband.

A Sister's Desperate Decision

Tiwonge was oblivious to all the scheming. She only came to know of her sister’s decision the day she got ‘married’ to her brother -in-law. Knowing that what she had done was wrong, the sister asked the husband to relocate to another village with Tiwonge.

But it didn’t take long for the community to notice that something was amiss. Tiwonge was part of a vibrant safe space in her village supported by UNFPA under the Peacebuilding project funded by the Secretary General Peace Building Fund. Her absence at the safe space raised questions, which forced the mentors to investigate why she wasn’t attending the group’s sessions.

Uncovering the hidden truth

“We heard a rumour that Tiwonge had eloped with her brother in-law,” said Josephine Msoyowola, one of the mentors at Timoti safe space where Tiwonge was a member. “But when we went to verify with the sister, she denied saying that she had gone to their parents’ home for a visit.”

“We followed up with the parents and they denied saying the last time they checked, she was staying with her sister. This confirmed our suspicions and we went to report the issue to the chief,” Josephine told UNFPA.

The mentors escalated the case to the local chief. Together, they reported the issue to the police. Tiwonge’s sister was arrested but was later released to so that she could help the police get hold of her husband.

Josephine explained: 

With support from the community police and the sister, we finally found where Tiwonge was staying. However, the brother in-law ran away to neighbouring Tanzania to escape arrest.

Supporting survivors and preventing abuse

Tiwonge was brought back home. However, she was never the same. The short period she had stayed in marriage changed her completely. This made once a bubbly girl to withdraw from society as she wasn’t ready to face the many questions society had about her ‘marriage’.

After having lived a secluded life, Tiwonge decided to go and stay in Tanzania where she secured a job as a house help.  For the safe space and community, this was a big blow. They knew that with her brother in-law still on the loose in Tanzania, the possibility of them linking up again was high.

And all this time, the renegade brother in-law pleading through some community members to make an apology to Tiwonge’s parents on his behalf. He was also  offering money to some community members so that they could help him make an apology to the chief to end the case.

“When the chief got such information, he decided to trick him by saying that the case was over,” said Josephine. “Upon hearing this, the man returned to his home to live with Tiwonge’s sister thinking he was now a free man.”

Legal Repercussions and Community Action

The community tipped the police and they came to arrest him. He was charged with kidnapping and rape and was sentenced to 14 years in prison. With the man now in prison, the community mobilised resources and brought Tiwonge back home.

The story of Tiwonge is one of the many success stories relayed by Timoti safe space during a field visit by the UNFPA team to Karonga. With the pain of the ordeal still fresh, Tiwonge couldn’t narrate her own story. Instead,  she tasked one of the mentors to do so.

Recovery and Rehabilitation

“Hearing the story of Tiwonge was heart rendering. It’s sad that such practices are still happening and depriving young girls of their future,” said UNFPA Representative, Ms. Nelida Rodrigues who was part of the visiting team to the safe space. “I am however glad that with support from UNFPA, communities are now able to identify and stop such practices.”

Currently, Tiwonge is undergoing counselling sessions organised by UNFPA implementing partner  Pamoza Tingakwaniska Youth Group. Slowly, she is making progress, and has gone back to school.

Joseph Scott, Communications Analyst