Youths get K3.2m to foil child marriages

Good Health Organisation has supported seven village savings and loans (VSLs) youth groups in Kasungu with K3.2 million to implement interventions to end child marriages in the district.

In an interview, the organisation’sexecutive director Gentry Kamanga said they wanted to empower youth organisationsto effectively respond to issues affecting children.

“If the networks are economically empowered, they will be able to trace child marriages, report to authorities and even terminate them,” he said.

On her part, Ngwalusungu Youth Organisation member Doris Mkandawire said the money will boost their investments in a VSL group.

She said: “Besides, a VSL group, we also raise chickens to generate money to implement activities that seek to protect children from various abuses.

“So, with this funding, some individuals will be able to borrow money to start businesses.”

In his remarks, Kasungu district youth officer James Mathiya commended the organisation for empowering the youth economically.

He said: “It is in the interest of my office to promote the youth.

“I expect them to benefit from the donation so they can improve their lives.”

With support from Plan International Malawi, Good Health Organisation is implementing Kulimbikitsa Ufulu ndi Umoyo Wa Achinyamata Project in the district.

Kasungu is one of the districts in the country that registered teen pregnancies and child marriages when schools were closed in 2020 as part of Covid-19 precautionary measures.