Success Stories

In accomplishing its various activities, the organisation registered nemorous achievements in the year 2008. One of the project to register these achievements is the 'Improved Sexual Reproductive Health and Early Motherhood Project' which is implemented in two Traditional Authorities of Karonga and Chitipa Districts respectively. The project registered  some case studies that are thought to be the project success stories that we want to share in this space. The first case study:-

Enelisa Chifungwe’s father, (as her mother passed away while she was in Primary standard 2) made her marriage arrangements when she was 13 years old and in standard 5 at Ngisi Primary School. He took Lobola of 2 cows and 1 bull from a family of the husband to be who is 36 years old. In 2007 after 1 ½ years, Enelisa’s father passed away. This meant that Enelisa’s time was due to go to the husband.   But because of the awareness created by ‘the improved SRH and early motherhood CIDA/GESP Project’ Enelisa, realised that her rights to education, marriage and life were compromised. She made it a point that she was not going to get married till she gets a good education. Now the problem comes in; the husband to be and his family are demanding Enelisa in marriage or the return of Lobola. It is a bit difficult for Enelisa because she is now staying with an Uncle who is a brother to her late father. This uncle is claiming that Enelisa’s father did not share them the Lobola and he is giving Enelisa into marriage. She has approached the project for assistance. Arrangements are put in place where the project would like this issue to be solved amongst the two families under the guidance of the traditional and opinion leaders of the areas.

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The second story is about the girl who was forced to get married at the age of 6 years when she was in Standard 1 (Primary School) at Ngisi Primary School in Traditional Authority Mwakaboko of Karonga North and now has gone back to school.

(b)  Gone back to school after 5 years in marriage
Rhoda Kanjere was forced to get married at the age of 10. At that time she was in standard 1 at Ngisi Primary School. Her husband at the time was 12 years old and in standard 4 at the same school.  As a young couple, which did not know anything about marriage, they were put in the care of the grandmother to Rhoda’s husband. This grandmother was the one who was teaching them about marriage and of course, sexual life. In 2006, after the death of the grandmother; Rhoda and her husband started facing problems. This was so because the grandmother was providing everything for them. Then they decided to stay with Rhoda’s mother-in-law. But life did not become any better because the parent could not provide as the grandmother could do. This made Rhoda’s life difficult as she is still young and could not afford to take care of a family. In 2007, after she heard of what “the improved SRH and early motherhood –CIDA/GESP Project” had to offer, Rhoda decided to get back to school. At that she was 14 years old. She went back into standard but because of age she could not bear the stigma from her peers. The school authorities realised this and they had to put her in standard 3 under special support from the teachers. She started having extra lessons in writing, Arithmetic and reading (the 3 Rs). At the moment she is 15 and standard 4. There is hope in this young girl as one could see that she is brightening up and taking part in school life. There is really stigma and discrimination in the school and it is traumatic for one to get back to school at an older age than the class especially if one had to leave marriage. This is what Rhoda is experiencing at the moment but the teacher and community based educators are working hard that Rhoda should become happy once again in life and she is promising to continue with her education. The other important things to note is that Rhoda and her husband have not had any child and she has never been pregnant during the marriage.