Mtisunge Matika’s future looked uncertain when she completed secondary education aged 17 in 2018.
“I didn’t think much about the future. My immediate concern was to help my mother do piecework for our survival,” she says.
Chigwirizano Women Movement supported the teenager with learning materials during secondary school.
The mothers at war with teen pregnancy and outlawed child marriages encouraged her to join the Nkhulambe Adolescent Girls and Young Women Group in Phalombe District, where young people openly discuss sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR) issues, gender-based violence and sexual abuse.
The group runs a savings and loans initiative where Mtisunge borrowed business capital.
She now sells grain in her community, boosting her income, self-esteem and chances to meet her dreams
Mtisunge went to a teacher training college and now works at Thambe Primary School in Phalombe.
A few kilometres away at Kaliati Village, Traditional Authority (TA) Nazombe in the district, Cynthia Mathela also struggled to meet basic needs.
In 2023, a youth group in her rural community selected the girl for a six-month training in motorcycle repairing with support from ActionAid Malawi.
Today she runs a repair shop at her home and supports her mother while working to acquire land for their well-being.
Since 2001, ActionAid Malawi has been running an initiative to help locals in T/As Nkhulambe and Nazombe claim their rights.
Participatory vulnerability assessment revealed widespread poverty, entrenched gender inequality, weak public services as well as exclusion of women and young people from decision-making.
Actionaid Malawi works with communities to help them demand their rights, strengthen governance, enhance resilience to climate impacts and promote equitable redistribution of resources for sustainable development.
ActionAid reports that 353 girls have returned to school, 1 174 others acquired human rights tips and nearly 13 000 young people gained SRHR knowledge.
Besides, about 15 000 women can now withstand climate shocks and over 18 000 young people have acquired vocational and business management skills.
The initiative supported 24 000 primary school pupils to access quality education by constructing classroom blocks and early childhood development (ECD) centres.
Phalombe East member of Parliament Robert Mwina says the ECD centres are setting a strong foundation for improved performance of children enrolling in the formal education system.
He brags: “Nkhulambe emerged the best performing community day secondary school in this year’s Malawi School Certificate of Education [MSCE] in Shire Highlands Education Division having sent several students to public universities.
“In the past, the focus was just passing examinations, but students now work hard to go to university.”
Paramount Chief Kaduya says the local rights initiative has helped communities gain essential skills and knowledge to transform their lives.
“Our communities are changing and it is now up to us to continue building on what has been achieved,” she says.
After 24 years of spearheading community development, ActionAid has handed over the interventions to the government through the Phalombe District Council.
ActionAid Malawi executive director Yandura Chipeta attributes the milestones in T/As Nazombe and Nkhulambe to community participation, traditional leadership and strong partnerships with the council and other allies.
“We have no doubt that the council and the community have the necessary tools to sustain the gains made,” she says. “The lessons acquired, the models implemented, and the success achieved in the two communities will continue to inform ActionAid’s work in other communities.”
Phalombe district commissioner Yobu Makina Gama says the council is ready for the takeover and will continue to collaborate with community leaders to sustain the gains.
Ufulu Wathu Community-based Organisation programme manager Symon Thipa urges locals to use their knowledge to empower others for lasting impact.
Meanwhile, Mtisunge, now aged 23, continues to run her businesses.
She leads the youth group of 28, mentoring girls to stay in school and acquire essential skills for their good and the well-being of future generations.
