Theresa Kachindamoto, the first ever female chief of the Ngoni tribe in Malawi, has successfully broken the cycle of child marriages in her country.
Dedicated to young girls’ human rights, Kachindamoto has been relentless in her pursuit of nullifying child marriages, which have been rampant in Malawi due to tradition and poverty.
Kachindamoto leads over 900,000 people in Dedza district near Lake Malawi, where some children as young as 12 have been forced into marriage.
In the past three years alone, she has nullified 850 child marriages. The chief suspended chiefs who endorsed child marriages until they annulled those marriages within their respective villages.
Child marriage puts young girls at risk of sexual violence, risky pregnancies, fistulae, and HIV/AIDS infection. It also jeopardizes their right to education because new brides are forced to drop out of school and provide household labor instead.
Despite being a secretary for 27 years before becoming chief of the Ngoni tribe in Malawi, Kachindamoto did not turn a blind eye to this critical issue. Her strong leadership abilities and dedication to ending child marriages has made her a symbol of hope in Malawi and the world.
– By Obayuwana Christopher
