A project is underway in Malawi which will achieve the SI aims of Education, Empowerment and Enablement as well as addressing UN SDG 1 (No poverty), SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 3 (Good Health), SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation). It also addresses SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and 5.3 (to eliminate all harmful practices such as child, early and forced marriage and Female Genital Mutilation by 2030).

Theresa Kachindamoto was selected as the female chief of Dedza region of Malawi in 2003. Since then, she has campaigned tirelessly to reform the child marriage system in the country, which has one of the highest rates of child marriage (under 18-years-old) in the world, at between 40-50% – even higher in rural areas. There is good evidence that girls married before the age of 18-years-old are more likely to suffer domestic abuse of a physical, sexual, psychological, and emotional nature with early pregnancy and high childbirth mortality and morbidity rates and sexually transmitted diseases including HIV/AIDS. The early marriage also deprives her of her education and subsequent life opportunities.

Campaigning has now succeeded in making child marriage illegal in Malawi but this is still occurring due to rural poverty and change being hard to effect on old customs. Theresa Kachindamoto is working at the Amitofo Care Centre (ACC), a well-known child sponsor and welfare organisation that helps orphans and underprivileged children. During her term she has prevented about 3500 child marriages and helped some of the girls complete their education. Presently there are about 500 children at the care centre.

Ms Liao Yiyin has served as an executive director of ACC. She is a member of SI Taiwan and realised that the aims of ACC are in complete accord with the SI Presidents Appeals “Road to Equality – Child Marriage” and “Opening Doors to a Bright Future – Education”

Collaboration between SI and SI Taiwan has resulted in this life changing project in Malawi. The goals are to invite more than 150 local women who have been child brides to participate in school counselling activities in order to change their attitudes to education. In addition, 10 women, married as children, will be selected to continue their education for 2 years by having a bursary to cover all their expenses. This will include boarding fees, food, clothing, educational expenses and include all materials. The teaching will cover numeracy and literacy skills, encourage the development of problem-solving skills, enable the girls to give back to their communities, empower them by increasing their employment opportunities and secure and income and provide a better life for themselves and their families.

This project will be enabled and administered by the Amitofo Care Centre (ACC), and overseen by SI Taiwan. The cost is $1000 per student, making the total cost of the project $10,000