Youth Response for Social Change organization (YRSC) says it nullified 320 child marriages through a project called Social Transformation for Ending Child Marriage implemented in Machinga District with stakeholders.
YRSC disclosed this on Thursday during a meeting in Liwonde, Machinga where the organisation shared a progress report of the project which ends in November this year.
YRSC Programs Officer, Prisca Inani, said the project has been successful following good working relationship with Machinga District Council, other collaborating organizations such as FOYODE, NANES and development partner, USAID.
She the organisations worked together in the targeted areas which includes Traditional Authorities of Chikweo, Nyambi, Mizinga, Mulimba, Mchinguza and Kawinga where cases of child marriages were common.
Inani said apart from nullifying 320 child marriages, girls have returned to school while 65 of them were taught vocational and soft skills like art and designing, tailoring and farming to sustain their livelihood.
“We have done a recommendable job with partners. We have managed to end marriages, send children back to school as well as providing the much needed skills to some of the youths. It worked well because of the collaboration efforts by different stakeholders including the traditional authorities,” she said.
A girl who came of out child marriage, (name withheld) from Traditional Authority Chikweo, will shortly enter form 4 on September 16 and shared her story of being abused, beaten and isolated from other people in her marriage.
“I got married early because of poverty and my family thought marriage would be the best way to solve problems,” she added.
Traditional Authority Mizinga who spoke on behalf of the other traditional authorities hailed YRSC for implementing a project that nullified child marriages saying this was a positive thing in the right direction as the project helped to reduce the numbers of child marriages in Machinga including his area.
He has vowed to continue the fight even if project phases as long as child marriage continue in the district.
Machinga District Commissioner, Rodrick Mateauma, said child marriages were still a concern in Machinga and acknowledged the role YRSC and its partners played in dealing with the problem
“Before the project, we weren’t doing well as a district. The situation was bad as figures show that we were even above the national figures on child marriages,” he added.
Mateauma said the project brought good results and also observed the greater role traditional leaders and other area and village level structures played to fight child marriage in the district.
“Going forward, we will rely on the same structures, local leaders, and our extension”, the District Commissioner added.
Among the guests was Senior Chief Kachindamoto, of Dedza who is a national champion in ending child marriages.
She however faulted some parents and guardians who facilitate child marriages on the assumption that they benefit from such forced marriages.
With funding from the American Government through USAID to the tune of 490,000 USD, the Social Transformation for Ending Child Marriages in Machinga Project started in 2021 and will end in November this year.
