Empowering Young Women in Malawi: Breaking Barriers to Health and Education

In Mulanje district, Malawi, young women like Loveness Matabwa and Veronica Master are rewriting their futures with the help of the Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW) project. Funded by the Global Fund through World Vision, and implemented by the Girls Empowerment Network (GENET), this project is a lifeline for young women facing significant health and social challenges in a region plagued by HIV/AIDS, poverty, and harmful cultural practices. 

Twenty-year-old Loveness Matabwa from Mabuka once lived under the weight of misinformation about HIV/AIDS. Influenced by cultural beliefs and lacking access to reliable information, she lived recklessly, unaware of the risks she faced. But after attending training sessions through the AGYW project, her life took a new direction. Armed with knowledge about HIV prevention, Loveness gained the courage to get tested for HIV and learned how to make healthier choices. "Knowing my HIV status has empowered me," she explains. "I protect myself from unsafe situations now, and I can educate others." As a peer educator, Loveness now shares her knowledge with other young women, dispelling myths that prevent them from seeking health services. She recalls how difficult it was for her to initially access HIV testing and reproductive health services due to widespread misconceptions. "People would say only the sick go for HIV testing. But now, I know the importance of regular testing and encourage others to understand that it’s for everyone’s health, not just those who are visibly ill." 

Meanwhile, 15-year-old Veronica Master from Magileta village shares a different yet equally powerful journey. Driven by peer pressure, she dropped out of school and entered an early marriage. It wasn’t until peer educators visited her village that she realized she had the power to change her life. "I was motivated to leave my marriage, return to school, and take control of my health," she says. Veronica received support to undergo medical screenings, ensuring she was free from pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Now, she is back in school with new hope for her future. The stories of Loveness and Veronica illustrate a broader reality for many young women in Malawi. Factors like poverty, lack of family planning access, and cultural pressures make adolescent girls vulnerable to HIV, early pregnancies, and child marriages. Naomi Nkhonjera, a project officer with GENET, stresses that young women are Malawi’s future, yet their potential is often hindered by these challenges. "Young girls are assets to our country’s development, but gender inequalities and violence hold them back," she says. 

Through the AGYW project, peer educators have been trained across Mulanje district, equipping them with skills to address HIV/AIDS, gender-based violence, and sexual and reproductive health rights. These peer educators, like Loveness and her colleague Alice Friday, are positioned in communities to provide life-changing information, mobilize girls for health services, and advocate for safe practices. "We’ve reached over 9,000 girls and referred nearly 2,000 to health centers," Alice shares. "We've also helped dissolve 22 child marriages with the support of local leaders and child protection services." Yet challenges remain. Loveness and Alice point out that despite a high demand for services, access to health resources is still limited, particularly in remote areas. "We need mobile clinics to reach all the girls in need," says Alice, who hopes to see more health services become available for rural communities. 

To expand access to health services for AGYW in hard-to-reach, remote areas, the Global Fund has funded mobile outreach clinics under Grant Cycle Seven. One clinic will be established in each of the four target districts. Each mobile clinic will be equipped with an off-road van and staffed by five medical personnel to provide youth-friendly services such as STI screening, HIV testing, and family planning, bringing essential healthcare closer to home for AGYW in remote locations. 

Today, Loveness and Veronica are symbols of resilience and transformation. Loveness is passionate about educating her peers and ensuring that others do not have to face the struggles she once did. Veronica, once a young bride, now envisions a future full of possibilities as she returns to school with renewed confidence. Both young women urge others to seek out the information and support available to them. "Protecting your health and education should always come first," Loveness says, emphasizing the value of the AGYW project’s resources. Their stories are a testament to the power of community support, education, and access to healthcare in changing lives, one young woman at a time.