by Conscious Reminder
Africa is a land which has somehow got a lot of infamy. It’s supposedly a place of disease and war – of all the evils that Western Society condemns.
But we often forget how poverty plays a role in all of this. One thing is for sure – Africa is a country in Need and it does not require our condemnation, rather our support.
And among all the bad news, sometimes, it feels good to hear good news coming from this continent too.
Theresa Kachindamoto is that voice – that redeeming figure. She has become the new chief in Malawi, a town in Africa. She is the youngest daughter of the previous chief. She had been in town and has worked as a secretary there for about 27 years.
But what sets her apart is her kindness and her knowledge about her own world. She was kind and that made her become the apple of the eye of many people. She was chosen as the chief and she was really humbled that people wanted her.
She has become the chief of Monkey Bay in Malawi. And as a woman, she knows the plight that many girl children face in that place.
From 2015, child marriage has been illegal in Malawi. But poverty makes people do many things. Child marriage was somehow still allowed with permission from parents.
And since Malawi is extremely poor, family marry their child to older people because they can’t support them financially. They want their children alive and marrying them off is the only way.
Even a UN report shockingly revealed that more than half of the girls married in Malawi were lower than 18 years of age.
And being of such a tender age, many times, they faced complications during their pregnancy. It became a health issue and often resulted in their deaths.
But when Kachindamoto became the chief, she brought a revolution. She had annulled about 850 child marriages. She even sent them to proper schools so that they could become educated and live a normal life.
Of course, her decision brought some hate upon her – it’s breaking a tradition after all. She even had to fire four sub-chiefs who opposed her.
She stayed stubborn and won. Even now, she receives death threats. But then, when she notices the faces of some of the relieved families, she feels fulfilled.
But Kachindamoto knows about the financial issue. And so, she went out of her way to pay tuition and other fees for the students who were too poor to afford education.
The incredible lady wants to watch her society become more equal in all aspects and become a wholesome community catering for the needs of everyone – man, woman, child.
She is truly an inspiration.
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