The Big Interview

Big interview: Mtisunge Kachingwe

Mtisunge Kachingwe is a young medical doctor
Mtisunge Kachingwe is a young medical doctor

Mtisunge Kachingwe is a young medical doctor who is actively involved in the advancement of women’s rights such as education, health, early pregnancy and gender equality. She is also board president of the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) in the country, who represents the voices of women and girls locally and in global forums. I spoke to her about her roles.

Who is Mtisunge Kachingwe?

I am 23 years old, a young Malawian woman born and raised in Blantyre. I graduated last year from the College of Medicine; I am a doctor and currently doing my internship at the Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH) in Blantyre.

You are also involved with the YWCA. Tell us more about that.

The Young Women’s Christian Association is a volunteer, woman’s rights faith based organisation whose purpose is to advance the empowerment, leadership and rights of women and girls. The Malawi YWCA is part of a global membership movement of women in over 120 countries. Projects and activities of the YWCA include

—Microfinance programmes

—Back to school programmes for adolescent girls and young women

—Sexual and reproductive health programmes

—Women leadership programme

—Literacy programme

How did you get involved with the YWCA and what motivated you to do so?

While in school and receiving my training at the hospital, I came across so many women and girls suffering from complications of early pregnancy, contracting HIV and as victims of various forms of violence. I felt like I was at the extreme end of things, which my contact with these women came after things had gone wrong. I realised the root causes of these problems reside in the community; such as gender inequality, social and economic factors. I wanted to work not only on treating these women in hospital, but work on prevention as well, so that their stories could be different and that the young girl does not opt for marriage because she is too poor to go to school. It was during this time that I met the executive director of YWCA, a Ms Dzabala. She introduced me to the YWCA and I started volunteering; working on different programmes to empower women, especially the young. This year, I was elected board president.

You have done some impressive work regarding youth/ women’s health.How important is that to you?

My main focus has been on the sexual and reproductive health, which we started this year in three villages in Mulanje. We received our funding from the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad) through the world YWCA power to change programme. We have just completed a baseline needs assessment survey. Together with my wonderful volunteers from the YWCA, we have done fundraising activities for girls to go back to school as well as start-up business. We are currently trying to source other means of funding to enable women start income generating activities.

The work which the YWCA does is very important. I believe women and girls have an important role to play in building communities and nations. They are a big portion of people who will enter the labour market this decade, they are future mothers that can transform families and they have enormous human capital that can change the course of humanity. The experiences of young women are different from those of young men and women as a general category. A ‘one size fits all approach’ undermines efforts to effect change and recognition of diversity. The YWCA takes into consideration the multiple facets of women’s lives and delivers services with a holistic approach.

Aside from my work here, I continue to work with the world YWCA and other members from different countries. This year I attended the commission on the status of women (CSW58) conference in New York as well as the partners’ forum on maternal and new-born health care (PMNCH). These events are a platform in which we advocate for actions that protect the dignity and rights of young women and girls. It is at this platform that we tell the girls’ stories so that people know what is happening on the ground.

What are your views regarding youth and development?

Young people today are growing up in a world that is changing with unprecedented speed. Because of their dynamism and imagination, young people can respond to these challenges in innovative ways. With the right investments, today’s young women and men can reach their full potentials as individuals, leaders and agents of progress. Young people can transform the social and economic fortunes of the developing and developed countries alike, but that will take action on health, education, employment, sexual and reproductive health; a commitment to real civic engagement and a commitment from political leaders.

Having said that, it is also essential to note that young people must also believe in themselves; they should become an asset both individually and collectively to the national development if they work hard. The continued over dependency phenomenon cannot take youths anywhere, nor can it help them to meaningfully contribute to national development as expected.

You seem to have a lot going in your life. How do you balance the different aspects?

It’s not easy. Sometimes 24 hours just doesn’t seem enough, but I believe in always making time for the things that are important to me and which you are passionate about. Time management becomes easier then.

What are your dreams /hopes for the future?

My dream is to see the YWCA expand to reach more young women across the country. To see young women stand up and fight for themselves. A world in which gender inequalities are non-existent. My medical career is also important and I plan to specialise after my internship.

What would you advise the youth of today?

Work today, enjoy tomorrow. In today’s world, young people face a lot of challenges. The truth of the matter is that resources or opportunities will never be enough. If opportunity doesn’t knock, then build a door. We must be a generation that works with what we have; we must be a generation that asks our leaders to do more, to invest more in the youth, women and children. We must be a generation that builds not destroys. We must do better than the people before us.

Any other comments?

The world stands at a critical juncture. The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that have dominated the global development agenda for the past 15 years are due to expire in 2015, leaving people with the question; what next? The process is on-going and I urge people to get involved, to speak out on what the focus areas should be for upcoming years.

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