Unsafe abortion constitutes a neglected public health crisis in Malawi as a colonial law only permit skilled health workers to terminate a pregnancy when it threatens a woman’s life.
Pamoja Project is lifting the veil of silence over the dangers of backstreet abortions associated with up to 18 in every 100 deaths of pregnant women nationwide.
The consortium comprising Centre for Solutions Journalism (CSJ), Theatre for Development and Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) produces Fupa Lokakamiza radio drama series to break the silence.
Every Thursday evening, Alinafe Banda, 28, from Mkwanda Village in Chiradzulu tunes in to Times Radio to the tale of love, religion, culture and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR).
The play features mischievous college student Mabvuto who falls for God-fearing schoolmate Linda, a journey that takes listeners to one-stop centres where survivors of sexual violence seek help.
Fupa Lokakamiza is based on the time-honoured saying a forced bone breaks a clay pot.
The series, also broadcast on the State-owned MBC Radio 1 every Monday, has garnered approximately 3 million listeners as characters such as Mayeso unpack laws that prohibit sexual relationship involving minors.
Radio drama has become a powerful tool for educating and engaging audiences on sexual issues easier done.
“I don’t miss my favourite radio drama series,” says Alinafe. “The intriguing story is not just about entertainment, but also learning about contraceptives, laws and the proposed Termination of Pregnancy Bill.”
The storyline
Sweet-talking Mabvuto feigns as a born-again Christian and uses lucky charms from a witchdoctor to hook pious Linda. However, the prayerful girl unknowingly passes the food spiced with the ‘love portion’ to her friend Jude, Mavuto’s sworn enemy.
As drama unfolds, Mavuto drugs Linda and rapes her in slumber, impregnating her.
Jude quizzes her: “Will you keep the pregnancy and drag the Christian fellowship into disrepute? Will you tarnish your religious parents’ reputation because of your unplanned pregnancy? Will you drop out of college because of a pregnancy resulting from rape?”
Linda weeps.
“I’m in a big dilemma,” she says. “My faith tells me to keep the pregnancy, but the massive damage it will cause to myself, my family and the fellowship dictates that I should terminate it.”
However, she cannot safely abort as the country’s Penal Code only permits the procedure when a woman’s life is in danger.
This mirrors the dilemma of many women and girls in the country.
Neglected issue
Reproductive health researchers from the Kamuzu University of Health Sciences and US-based Guttmacher Institute warn that the restrictive law only drives women and girls to seek clandestine abortions.
“In Malawi, an estimated 141 000 abortions were performed in 2015. This number translates to a rate of 38 abortions per 1 000 women aged 15–49,” reads the findings published in 2017.
According to the study, induced abortion rates vary widely by region, from 29 per 1 000 women in the Centre to 61 in the North.
CSJ team leader Brian Ligomeka says the project complements the government’s aspiration to ensure no woman or girl dies from pregnancy-related causes.
“The biggest success we have achieved so far is taking key messages on SRH to listeners through drama series. The positive feedback from listeners through SMS, our Facebook page and radio listening club members assures us of the progress being made,” he says.
Listeners’ responses to the weekly questions during the radio drama series measures the audience’s comprehension.
“The project is breaking the ground for abortion law reform advocacy,” says Nyale Institute programmes manager Temwa Chipaza.
The institute engaged medical students on Section 138 of the Penal Code which criminalises adolescent sexuality and held a Moot Court where law students debated how the abortion law undermines human right.
Theatre for Change produces the interactive drama series featuring 20 artists trained at the outset. It popularises the big issues through radio broadcasts and radio listening clubs in various communities in Kasungu, Dowa, Nkhotakota, Salima, Dedza, Mchinji and Lilongwe.
The multimedia campaign challenges the audience knowledge and attitudes.
Theatre for Change communications officer Henry Kambuzuma says 67 trained change agents have helped establish 35 community radio listeners’ clubs.
He describes the club attendance as “impressive considering the sensitive topics and resistance from some individuals”.
CHRR trained journalists and conducted a social media campaign to stir conversations about the ills of unsafe abortion and the need for law reform.
“We engaged editors on how they can professionally report on access to safe abortion,” says CHRR executive director Michael Kaiyatsa.
