Despite the fact that in 2015 a law was passed that forbids marriage before the age of 18, the tradition of giving out girls for early marriages is still practiced in Malawi. This happens more often in rural areas where large families struggle for survival and parents see the early marriage of their daughters as a way to mitigate their financial hardships.
For the past three years Chief Theresa Kachindamoto has been working hand in hand with her sub-chiefs to stop this practice. She abolished early marriages under customary law and annulled all existing unions that fell under her jurisdiction.
With the support of community members, church representatives and charity organizations she freed hundreds of girls from the burden of such marriages and helped them go back to school.
Traditional practices are very much alive in Malawi. These include a number of rituals, which involve girls as young as seven and are heavily abusive in nature. As part of the initiation, for example, adult men are hired by parents to take the virginity of their daughters and so prepare them for marriage. Chief Theresa Kachindamoto has banned these rituals too.
Though the opposition of some sectors of society has been strong, Chief Kachindamoto is determined to continue on this path of protecting the wellbeing of young girls in Malawi and helping them prepare for a better future.
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Fr. Luigi Gritti