ANNOUNCING THE 2019 MILEAD FELLOWS: Africa’s Most Outstanding Emerging Women Leaders

Moremi Initiative for Women’s Leadership in Africa proudly announces the 2019 MiLEAD Fellows. The new cohorts, selected in the 11th year of the MILEAD Fellows Program, represent Africa’s most promising young women leaders, who have demonstrated the courage, passion and commitment to lead and shape the future of Africa. The Fellows were chosen through a highly competitive selection process based on their outstanding leadership promise, community service accomplishments, and commitment to the advancement of women and social justice in Africa.

“These exceptional leaders, bring their remarkable individual characteristics, but come together to learn and collectively build a better Africa. These MILEAD Fellows have responded to Africa’s call for a new kind of leadership- to shift power to the people and to be good stewards of power. The MILEAD program will help them fulfill this mission by deepening their capacities and capabilities with a supportive ecosystem, as they utilize their talents to shape the future of their communities and Africa’s place in the world. - by MILEAD Selection Committee [www.moremiinitiative.org]

THE 2019 MILEAD FELLOWS

The 2019 MILEAD Fellows represent a truly Pan-African diversity and potential. Representing 26 African countries and the Diaspora, the 2019 Fellows bring highly diverse socio-cultural backgrounds combined with multi-disciplinary academic and professional experiences and aspirations. The Fellows are between the ages of 19 and 25, and are already actively leading change on pertinent issues at many levels - from entrepreneurship, agriculture and women’s health, to politics, environmental innovations and gender justice. They are a new generation of African women leaders ready to provide the bold and inspirational leadership needed to shift power and lift Africa to its rightful place on the global stage. Here are the honoured 2019 Fellows:

Ms. Ashley Ahandessi [Benin]

Ms. Bosa Wame D. Sebele [Botswana] 

Ms. Laura SheïllaI Nangoma [Burundi]

Ms. Jeannine Rachelle Belibi [Cameroon]

Ms. Adèle Noudjilembaye [Chad]

Ms. N’dri Helena C. Abozan [Cote d’Ivoire]

Ms. Rachel Mawazo Salama [D. R. Congo]

Ms. ReemYehiaKamel Elsayed [Egypt]

Ms. Simiso Shabangu [Eswatini]

Ms. Selamawit Tezera Chaka [Ethiopia]

Ms. Marlyse Hangamalongo Mapaga [Gabon]

Ms. Ngenarr-Yassin Jeng [The Gambia]

Ms. Dorcas Babet Kwofie [Ghana]

Ms. Grace Amponsah [Ghana] 

 Ms. Rita W. Tunwah [Liberia] 

 Ms. Comfort Chizinga [Malawi]

Ms. Silvia Ernestina Dywili [Mozambique]

Ms. Julia MP Nampweya [Namibia]

Ms. Udoka Peace Ugwoke [Nigeria]

Ms. Anysie Ishimwe [Rwanda]

Ms. Aminata Seilloh Conteh [Sierra Leone]

Ms. Latto Catherine F. Tartisio [South Sudan]

Ms. Brigitte Adjoa Adonou [Togo]

Ms. Vanessa Chisakula [Zambia]

Ms. Faith Nyakundi [USA/ Kenya]

Ms. Samu Ngwenya [Diaspora | Zimbabwe]

From 2,070 applications from 48 African countries, and the Diaspora, the newly selected Fellows will become part of the growing MILEAD community, a powerful Pan-African network of change makers - a new generation of young African leaders. We welcome our first ever Fellow from Chad.

We acknowledge all unsuccessful applicants for their transformational work and sacrifices, often under extremely difficult circumstances. Although only 26 candidates could be selected, we truly admire the courage and commitment of all of these leaders. We look forward to collaborating with all applicants through other platforms and future programs as we strive to create opportunities and attain dignity and justice for women on our great continent.

THE 2019 MILEAD FELLOWS INSTITUTE

The MILEAD Fellows will converge in Accra, Ghana to kick-start the 2019 MILEAD Leadership Institute - a three-week intensive training program - which will be hosted by the Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana, Legon. The Institute will serve as a platform for Fellows to cross-examine concepts of leadership in a broad African context, cultivate the skills and experiences necessary to occupy and excel in leadership positions, and gain knowledge on cutting-edge issues critical to African women and their communities. In addition to knowledge building lectures, skills-training workshops, teambuilding activities, role plays and other interactive activities, Fellows will be mentored by experienced and accomplished women leaders who are committed to supporting and nurturing the next generation of African women leaders.

ABOUT THE MILEAD FELLOWS PROGRAM

The MILEAD Fellows Program is a bold and paradigm-shifting initiative committed to the long-term leadership development of promising young leaders selected as Fellows. Fellows benefit from a combination of training, experiential learning and mentoring crafted to build knowledge, skills, strengthen networks, and support women’s leadership on critical issues. In addition, the program links determined young women with influential and seasoned African leaders who are committed to inspiring and empowering the next generation. Most importantly, Fellows benefit from a lifelong solidarity and support through the MILEAD Network and supportive eco-system. One of the distinguishing features of our program is the deliberate integration of community service to the yearlong training. Each Fellow will initiate and lead a community change (MiCHANGE) project on a critical issue of importance to their community or African women as a whole. Moreover, Fellows will benefit from a lifelong solidarity and support through the MILEAD Network.

ABOUT MOREMI INITIATIVE

Moremi Initiative is widely recognized today as a leading and pioneer organization promoting women’s leadership and social justice in Africa. Our investments in transformational leadership over the past 14 years continue to inspire and equip a new generation of women leaders in politics, business and communities across the continent. Headquartered in Accra-Ghana and with an office in the United States, Moremi Initiative operates throughout Africa and the Diaspora. Moremi Initiative is a United Nations Accredited organization- in Special Consultative Status and has official partnerships with UN WOMEN, UNAIDS and other local and international partners. Moremi Initiative boasts of a growing and dynamic alumni network with over 240 strong memberships of exceptional young leaders, who share a commitment to shape the future of African and their respective communities. Our Mission is to engage, inspire and equip young women and girls to become the next generation of leading politicians, activists, social entrepreneurs and change agents.

@MoremiAfrica #MiLEADFellows #MILEAD2019 #YoungWOmenLead#AfroWImenLead #ThePowerToLead!

For more information, contact Moremi Initiative: Tel: +1 917.327.5235 (USA) +233 54 909 3152 (GHANA) #MILEADFellows ● F:Facebook.com/MoremiAfrica ● E: info@moremiinitiative.org ● W:www.moremiinitiative.org

Youth Network Chairperson Hails GUSO Programme for Promoting YFHS

There is a significant change in perception and access to Youth Friendly Health Services (YFHS) at T/A Nankumba thanks to the Get Up Speak Out Project(GUSO). The sentiments were made on the side-lines of a meeting which was aimed at sensitising communities on their roles in encouraging safer Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) practices among sub youth populations. Chairperson for Nankumba youth network William Phiri said since the project commenced in 2016 they have managed to reach out to youths in over 21 villages within Nankumba with messages on SRH and HIV/AIDS. William however worried about the long distances youths have to cover to access such services. “Some villages are far, so you can imagine for a youth to walk about 35 kilometres to access a service it is really hard so, I feel this is a huge set back to the initiative,” said Phiri. Phiri therefore proposed that there is need to train more Youth Community Based Distribution Agents (YCBDA’s), peer educators, be trained so as to meet the demand that is there. One other key issue which needs urgent address is that of stock outs for condoms and other contraceptives. “In some instances a youth may want to get a particular service but when they go to the hospital they find that it is not there so this puts them at risk of being infected with HIV or pregnancy”, said Phiri. The chair also talked about the good rapport that is there between them and religious leaders saying it has assisted in wooing more youths to take up contraceptive methods. During the exercise, at least 350 community members including traditional and religious leaders have been sensitised about their role in promoting uptake of Youth Friendly Health Services (YFHS) and encouraging safe sex practices among young people in T/A Nankumba and Mponda. GUSO Programme is being implemented by a consortium of 6 local NGOs which formed the Malawi SRHR Alliance. YONECO is implementing the programme with financial support from Simavi, Netherlands.

Ritual Cleansing: Cultural Practices that Steal Young People's Innocence “I think there is so much we can do for the women and children who are victims of hyenas, gender-based violence, and all the other social evils that are out there”. This is what Malawi’s 2013 Big Brother Africa representative, Natasha Annie Tonthola, said during an interview with BBC’s Michael Wendling. Natasha explained the ordeal she went through as she was being traditionally ‘initiated’ into adulthood. Just as various national and international media channels were awash with a story about a man who was arrested for sleeping with young girls to cleanse and initiate them into adulthood; the celebrated entrepreneur cum girls’ rights activist, Natasha, came to the open and exposed the evils and dangers of such cultural practices. Honestly speaking; our society is full of different harmful cultural practices that lead to various sexual reproductive health challenges. Many young people like, contraction of Sexually Transmitted Infections including HIV, fueling child marriages as well as teen pregnancies and other associated consequences. These aforementioned challenges have been faced and still affecting new victims year in year out. Young people can avoid this kind of abuse by knowing their sexual reproductive health rights. No one is supposed to force you into having sex no matter what kind of influence that person has. When you get pregnant or an STI; it is the very same people who start discriminating and stigmatizing you. They are quick to force you into sex cleansing but they are always late to support when the ritual lands you in trouble. Young people; do not trust others to make sexual reproductive health decisions on your behalf. It is your life and when you are troubled by your community to undergo a harmful cultural practice you can report this by calling toll free child helpline on 116, Community Victim Support Unit or any nearest Youth Friendly Health Service Delivery Point that is close to your area. Remember; you have your sexual reproductive health rights and make wise and informed decisions. Do not let cultural beliefs and ritual steal your innocence …be assertive and report any form of abuse to remain cool and happy!

Promoting Youth Friendly Health Services Among young people Malawi should address the issue of unwanted pregnancies among young girls who are dropping out of school because of pregnancy. Heartrendingly, most of them do not go back to school after delivery as they dedicate their time to raising their babies and most are held back by the fear of how their schoolmates and teachers will treat them. The issue of teenage pregnancies in Malawi has also led to unsafe abortions among the youth. As a way of putting an end to this, young people should be practically accorded their right to sexual reproductive health and family planning services. Furthermore, the policies that are aimed at promoting young people’s sexual and reproductive health should be operationalized without much ado because the issue at hand requires immediate action. Investing in young people’s sexual reproductive health will greatly empower them so much that the youth will remain healthy, attain their education and realize their goals in life. Young people have the right to make informed choices about their sexual and reproductive health, including the number, timing, and spacing of their children and the right to the highest attainable standard of health. All young people, regardless of sex or marital status should have access to sexual and reproductive health services, which includes access to safe, effective, affordable, and youth friendly health services of their choice. There is also a need to facilitate the process of encouraging peer education which also helps young people to obtain clear information about sensitive issues pertaining to sexual behavior, reproductive health, STIs including HIV and AIDS. Provision of youth friendly health services in tertiary education institutions and workplaces and other places where young people congregate is also viable and cost effective The youth in Malawi need to increase their knowledge base on current and relevant information about sexual reproductive health. Of late, behavior change campaigns for young people have also been neglected and the consequence of this has been strongly felt in all parts of the country and that is in both rural and urban settings. The government and non-governmental organizations need to maintain and develop effective monitoring systems of such initiatives to inform programing and improve service delivery. On the other hand, when all is said and done, my fellow young people should also know that the onus is in their hands. No matter what the government and NGOs will do, the youth themselves are key to this. A lot of money, time and resources have already been spent on the promotion of young people’s sexual and reproductive health and rights but the youth themselves are also to blame for not being active. Posted by Unknown at 02:21 No comments: Email This BlogThis! Share to Twitter Share to Facebook Share to Pinterest TUESDAY, 2 MAY 2017 YFHS and Social Economic Development of Young People “I have a 2 year old child and living positively mainly because I had no access to HIV”, these are words that were spoken in a discussion whereby young people were debating the importance of accessing Youth Friendly Health Services (YFHS). The narrator of this heartrending account, a youth worker from Mangochi district, told me that the girl continued to explain that she firmly believed that if she had access to YFHS about 3 years ago, the turnout of events in her life could have been different. When a certain youth worker who was facilitating this session told me about the statements, I felt that the whole nation failed this young girl big time. Why would someone grow from childhood to adolescence without knowing critical issues about sex and sexuality? As I have always argued, parents and older relatives also know that they are supposed to discuss such matters with young people. Every adult realizes the need to discuss SRHR issues with a growing up young person. However, shyness forces people to continuously curtail such important sessions until it becomes too late to so. The consequences are so dire and at times irreparable. I for one believe that older citizens as well as duty bearers should know that they are also to blame when the country is registering increased cases of unintended teen age pregnancies and shockingly high prevalence rate of HIV and other Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs). We need to acknowledge our failure to protect innocent young lives as it is our responsibility to ensure that the young people are going into the adult world which they are conversant with and prepared for. It is illogical to leave things to chance and expect that young people will one way or the other know about their sexual reproductive health. If one does not take that initiative to discuss SRHR issues with a young person who is growing into adolescence, the end result is that young person gets wrong information from their peers. Let me share with you what a group of adults told me about the most misleading SRH information they once got from friends and realise after some years that it was all a lie. Here are some of the misconceptions that were mentioned; · sleeping with boys or men helps a girl to get vitamin K · A girl can avoid conception by having a bath immediately after having unprotected sex · Infertility in men is caused by failure to undergo sexual cleansing during adolescence These and many other factors are the reasons why allowing young people to access YFHS is the best option which parents and guardians of adolescent young boys and girls should choose. Young people’s access to YFHS will help everyone serve a lot in terms of time, money and other resources as problems that are caused by young people’s SRH challenges are costly. Furthermore, parents and guardians should accept that they are not experts in SRH. Sometimes, if parents or guardian are feeling shy or hesitant to discuss SRH issues with their adolescent boys or girls then they should let the YFHS Providers do the needful. Leaving the specialists to do the work is paramount in as far as prevention of SRH challenges which young people face is concerned. There is a need for all to know and understand that access to YFHS among young people is very key to social and economic development of young people. The welfare of young people and their lives in future is shaped by how their sexual reproductive health is taken care of today.

The Plight of Young People Living with HIV in Malawi

It is now a known fact that HIV is now manageable as compared to how the situation was in the last two decades. People living with HIV are now able to live healthy and productive lives without the fear of death which loosely became the synonym of HIV some years ago. 

Through various ways, more and more young people are living with HIV. The coming in of Antiretroviral Drugs is a major step towards having healthy and strong young people. Both those Living with HIV and those who are not are able to contribute positively to the development of the country in their capacities as young people.

Recently, there has been a lot of talk about providing necessary support to young people who are living with HIV. However, I have not really seen a lot in terms of action towards ensuring that Young People Living HIV/AIDS are given the much needed support. If there is a group of people who need to be heard and their concerns addressed are the young people who are living with HIV.

The inattention that is given to YPLHA has led to increased number of them to default drugs and eventually develop AIDS. Many young people have been lost due to our uncaring attitudes.

Having HIV is a health issue and just like any other personal healthy issue, YPLHA have been longing for privacy. They have always wanted to make sure that their HIV status is not known to others. This is due to a number of valid reasons and it would be good to work on the issues that are there to guarantee them this wish. For instance, YPLHV who are in boarding schools face a lot of challenges to get a permission to go to hospital to collect ARTs.

Why do teachers have to ask so many question?

Why do teachers disclose this to every staff member who later go out to tell other students?

This leads to the worst stigma ever on the school compass. When their status is known, YPLHA have to brave and endure discrimination in all its various forms. However, it is hard to concentrate when the whole compass seems to be sidelining you and maybe a few others. We should not except such young people to excel in their studies because the position they have been places on is worse than I a prison cell where everyone treats another as a fellow prisoner and not an outsider.

There are so many situations that have put the lives of YPLHA in danger. We need to work on this as a nation. Let us listen to the voices of YPLHA…even their silence has to be properly comprehended, it is a communication and we need to know what it means.  

21 Year Old Youth Hails YONECO Internship Programme

YONECO’s Youth Development Programme was designed to prepare young people to ably fit as leaders and enable them to positively contribute towards the development of Malawi. Thus, in thois programme area, YONECO also established a Youth Internship Programme whereby young graduates from various tertiary institutions are recruited to gain hands-on experience.

The story of 21-year old Vita Mithi is one of positive outcomes of the youth internship programme. Vita joined YONECO after obtaining his Bachelor’s Degree in Public Health from Livingstonia University. Vita’s internship was for six months, a period which he calls “a transition stage from a young graduate to an employable and responsible youth”.

During his tenure as an intern, Vita was imparted with knowledge on various practical aspects of work including; facilitation skills, community mobilization, as well as case management.

“I was motivated by the way YONECO operates and I knew that passing through the institution will help me in terms of gaining more knowledge and skills”, said Vita.

 “This prompted me to apply for internship at YONECO with the hope to learn what really transpires on the ground, as well as giving out the knowledge that I had acquired from school in my field of study.” Explains Vita.

Apart from having a hands on experience, Vita was also given an opportunity to support other young people and he contributed positively to the development of other young people as well.

Mithi was also tasked to handle computer lessons that targeted young people at YONECO’s Drop in Centre in the district so much that over 20 young people benefited from his services.

Soon after his internship, Vita got employed by World Vision and below were his parting words; ‘As an intern, you get exposed to various things within the work environment - internship is a very important journey which young graduates should go through. I am now very confident that I will be able to perform.’

Drug and Substance Abuse as a Survival Tool: Where the Youth Miss the Point

Apart from the escalation rate of unemployment and bulging population in urban areas in the country. Young people should be able to rise up, wise up and sense up the sole goal benefit of self-reliance and self-sufficiency.

Since independence, we were made to believe that education would attain us better employment and earn extra exorbitant remuneration packages. But, today, the reality is far from what we expected - a paradise in psychological limbo.

Young people both graduates and non-certificated ones are all struggling and they are finding hard to survive. A cross section of young people belonging to various youth groups are financially dependent on their parents or guardians. Frustrations and agony lead them to find ‘refuge’ in using hard drugs and cheap liquor. These are the substances which are locally available in the streets: marijuana, liquor, glue ect. Disappointment after being let down by girlfriend, changes in their socioeconomic status or just a bad moment in everyday business. Despite the fact that these are temporal matters that could be solved by other means and the last one being resorting to drug and substance abuse.

One could question that this dependency syndrome is it drug abuse first and the syndrome second or the venture is interchangeable. It is important for parents to give hope to struggling young people who are addicted to drugs and substances so that they should see the light at the end of the tunnel and find a reason to quit.

Too much drug abuse tarnishes the vision of prosperity. I as a once-addicted survivor, I had lost hope as I was staying with my parents. I almost resented virtues of academic brilliance and progress to achieve great things in life. Long term plans like building my own house and investing in certain business ventures seemed pointless. The following are quotes which many young people used to break free from the cocoon of drug and substance addiction.

o   “I got sick and tired of living the same way day-in-day-out, until a sense of sobriety flashed my mind like lightening”. In its crystal light, I decided to take Total control of my life.

o   “I can pull myself together and willingly achieve better things in life”. That drew my focus and made me to have an affinity of being creative in everything I do. I began to pay attention to sound advice and people who had and are killing it big time.

o   “Stop brooding about trivial things which do not amount to your vision and strategy”. I had to make a decision and surely I did.

o   “Assert yourself in readiness to change and to represent yourself”. I decided to clean myself up and free my soul to be vibrant and independent.

o   “Reflect on positive values more often”. I realized that negativity will take me nowhere and it was true because a few days after focusing on positive vibes, I was a different person all together.

On last thing: Keep on listening to Total Turnaround Radio Programme on YONECO FM every Saturday evening between 19:30 – 20:00! 

The Blog was written by Mabhuchi Nyasulu - A Counsellor as well as Presenter and Producer of Total Turn Around Radio Programme 

Women, ‘How are You Today?’

The world today needs to take stock of what has been achieved in the promotion of women’s rights and their participation in political, social, and economic spheres in the past 41 years.  This stock taking exercise being proposed here begins in 1977, the year in which United Nations General Assembly invited member states to declare 8 March as the UN Day for Women’s rights.

The question we need to ask ourselves is on whether as an individual, Civil Society Organization (CSO), and governments have really contributed towards attainment and realization of women’s rights at various levels. This is a battle that started long time ago even before the actual International Women's Day (IWD) was proclaimed by the UN and its member states.  

Narrowing this issue to Malawi as a country, I can see a commendable progress. There are some areas we have tremendously done well while some aspects still need to be accentuated. It may not be fair to use a relative measure in terms of finding out how Malawi has performed in terms of promoting women’s rights and welfare. Malawi and many other southern African countries had serious challenges that emanated from deep rooted patriarchal tendencies that were inherited from the ‘ancestors’. Thus, comparing where we are coming from and what we have done so far is a clear indication that with effort and sustenance of the current momentum, we will achieve!   

According to the current Malawi Demographic Health Survey (MDHS), the country has an average of 4.4 children. This is a decrease from 6.7 children per women in 1992. This represents a dramatic decline of 2.3 children and translates to improved health and welfare of women in the country. Further to this, the enactment of the Gender Equality Act, Marriage Divorce and Family Relations Act as well as other gender-related laws really prove how serious Malawi is in its efforts of trying to achieve gender equality. Malawi once had a female president who was voted as a presidential running-mate and became president after the death of the then incumbent President, the late Bingu Wa Muthalika. Let us also note the progress in terms of university selection at the University of Malawi whereby the 2015/2016 intake shows that a total of 1,919 students were selected to pursue various courses. This is a move away from the time when a very few females had a chance to reach secondary school.

CSOs in Malawi also deserve a pat on the back for raising awareness about women’s rights, women empowerment initiatives, spearheading the war against Gender Based Violence (GBV) and many other commendable efforts. CSO should really be applauded - ‘Ending GBV starts with reporting GBV’ and YONECO’s toll-free Gender Based Crisis Line is there to fill this gap. It helps to ensure that women have a confidential alternative reporting mechanism. Further to this, the line is a source of information as well as a tool where women access psychosocial counselling on GBV. GBV awareness campaigns that have been conducted across the country have contributed to increased understanding of women’s rights so much that women are now able to voice out their rights. 

Despite the numerous milestones, there is also a need to acknowledge that GBV is still prevalent in the country and in 2014 USAID included Malawi as one of 35 GBV priority countries due to the high rates of child marriage in the country. Women’s participation in decision making processes is still a challenge and the country is still grappling with the problem of child marriage.

This year, the World is commemorating the #IWD under the theme; Time is Now, Urban and Rural Activists Transforming Women’s Lives. This theme befits the current efforts in women empowerment programme by various players. 

The International Women’s Day is a time to reflect on progress made, to call for change and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women who have played an extraordinary role in the history of their countries and communities. Let us further remember that the fight for women’s rights is not a once off activity and let the fight continue after the commemoration.

Further to this, women should be given more spaces. Sometimes we may feel we are making positive strides while we are creating new problems. For instance, we can increase the number of women in politics but then their meaningful participation is the democratic processes could be limited. This is why there is a need to understand that it is more than just the figures.

This is your day: women, how are you today?  

The Fruition of Meaningful Youth Empowerment Interventions in Mangochi.

By Esnart Priminta

Whoever thinks that the youth are incapable of bringing about positive change in their communities should properly examine this claim.  This entry is based on positive outcomes of youth empowerment initiatives that really technically refute the misguided view of young people as individuals who are wayward, irresponsible, naïve and defiant.  

YONECO strongly believes in the youth. The institution looks at young people as capable human beings who are dynamic and able to contribute positively to the development of their society. For quite some time, the youth have been sidelined in different decision making processes and even denied access to critical information. This has led to a lot of young people making uninformed decisions which have led to negative outcomes in their lives and to an extreme extent, this has costed their lives. The environment has not been friendly for youth development.

 In countries like Malawi, a lot of young people have suffered the cruelty of the world in the hands of socio-cultural norms and beliefs.  All these things have in one way or the other contributed to the overall stagnation of development in the country. HIV prevalence rate among the youth is shockingly high, with an increased rate of child marriages which is currently at 47%, increased teen pregnancies and school dropout rates among other things.

In 2016, YONECO with funding from Simavi embarked on a programme called Get Up Speak Out (GUSO). The five-year programme is aimed at contributing towards ensuring that all young people, especially girls and young women, are empowered to realize their SRHR in societies that are positive towards young people’s sexuality.

Justin Yusuf who hails from Nankumba, which is YONECO’s GUSO project impact areas, said young people are now able to take active part in different developmental activities as well as voicing out their rights

“YONECO organized a training for community leaders and young people in Meaningful Youth Participation and I was one of the young people who attended the training.

“After the training I went back to my village and held some discussions with chiefs and other community leaders to start considering young people in various community development processes. As I’m talking to you now, I am an influential member of the Village Developmental Committee.” 

Yusuf further stated that currently there are 4 young people in the VDC a thing that has greatly contributed towards ensuring that young people’s needs and aspirations are considered in the formulation of community and district development plans and activities.

“Older community members are now appreciating the role which young people are playing in the society,” said Youth Network Chairperson at Nankumba – William Phiri.  

Among other things, the youth have managed to lobby for the establishment of two under five clinics so that children can be accessing medical services easily as was not the case in the past. Young mothers were unable to travel long distance to access postnatal care services but now, this issue is water under the bridge.

According the Youth Network Chairperson, youth involvement in developmental work has also increased their access to sexual reproductive health service. The change has come about dude to the fact that they are now able to take up issues and engage the right authorities to address the issues.  This has further nurtured young people’s commitment in taking care of their reproductive health and there is hope that by 2020 the issues of child marriages and teen pregnancies will be history in his area.

Yusuf said “As young people, we know that we have a greater responsibility of developing this nation. GUSO project has helped to stimulate our action towards improved SRHR and other essential services.

He continued to say that increased uptake of sexual reproductive health services will ensure that young people are protected from unplanned pregnancies and contracting sexually transmitted infections and HIV.

“At first parents would not allow their children to access SRH services and use contraceptives but after the training we reasoned with them and are now able to appreciate the need for  us to access SRH services. Even chiefs are now taking an active role in fighting harmful cultural practices and socio norms that bars young people from accessing SRH services,” said Yusuf.

As if that is not enough, Yusuf added that they have now planted tree seedlings as one way of dealing with issues of climate change. He said they are now able to coordinate and collaborate with different organizations and networks and currently a construction of a bridge is under way which will help ease the challenges people were facing particularly during the rainy season.

Yusuf thanked YONECO for still believing in young people and equipping them with the necessary information and the needed skills. He said as the youth, they are planning to do more to improve their communities as time goes.

“Let me also take this opportunity to ask my fellow youths that we should utilize these kind of opportunities and not wasting them. We are leaders of today and tomorrow hence the need for us to be proactive in whatever we do,” concluded Yusuf.

GUSO Project is being implemented by a consortium of 6 organizations that formed what is called the Malawi SRHR Alliance. Apart from YONECO, other implementing partners are; Centre for Alternatives for Victimized Women and Children (CAVWOC; Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR); Centre for Youth and Civic Education (CYECE); Family Planning Association of Malawi (FPAM); and Coalition of Women Living with HIV (COWLHA. The project is being implemented in Chikwawa and Mangochi district where YONECO is targeting T/A Mponda and Chimwala. 

Lessons from YFM Roadshows on GBV in Mulanje

by Esnart Priminta 

Communities in Mulanje district have condemned the tendency of some men who sleep with their step and biological daughters.

This was revealed during roadshows that Youth Net and counseling-YONECO conducted in the district in raising awareness on gender based violence during the 16 days of activism against gender based violence.

According to one Mr Jabu who patronized one of the shows, men threaten their daughters to stop giving them support if they refuse to have sex with them.

On the other hand, women conceal the truth when they find their husbands sleeping with their daughters for fear of losing their marriage and the support they get from them.

Another girl from Mathambi in the district confessed of a certain family where the man sleeps with his 15-year-old step daughter but threatened the woman not to reveal to anyone saying this might lead to his arrest and the family will suffer which she obliged to.

However, this behavior is risking the lives of many girls said Mary Deston.

Deston therefore commended YONECO for conducting the awareness campaigns for this has made them to understand the gravity of the behavior and know where they can report the cases.

The shows were conducted in different parts of Mulanje including, Mathambi, Namphungo, mwanakhu, Namphungo, Mkando, Chinyama, Likhubula and Chinyama among other places. Different artists performed during the shows as one way of entertaining the audience and keeping them active throughout the shows. The artists were Blaze, Stich Fray, Phil Jay and Katelele Ching’oma.

YONECO conducted the roadshows with financial support from Action Aid through Christian Aid under the project Adolescent Girls and Young Women-AGYW.

MENTAL RESUSCITATES - PART ONE

By Mabhuchi Mujuma Nyasulu

Doll drumming over the years of drinking and smoking heavily. I discovered that ‘Urges’ are an invisible bad and ugly company to be-friend with. The worst thing is they make you dance to their tune and end up doing what you don’t want to do. 

Contrary to the mental independence of Young people, The Youths in particular, Malawi. There are, a - don’t want to be forced to do something - but rather, the subject to be brought around the table were they discuss in groups and express their opinion and experiences. I am glad to say that after the desire of freedom enters in my heart of change, this is how my mind balances my life style in overcoming ‘Urges’.

v  Doing exercise @ Home or go to the gymnastic;                                                                        whenever my heart is confronted  with the thirsts to smoke, my mind tells the ‘Urge ‘company to flee from me and do a 40 – 40 press up or else I get angry Go jogging.

v  Drinking something non-alcoholic;

My substitute to Cannabis it’s what I love to called Avocado syrup. It is a traditionally known as Chindongwa, Thobwa or Mahewu.The drink grows better when it ferment with pounded vegetable ital. fruits in it like Bananas and Avocados.

v  Take a shower or Laundry;

The consequence of adhering to ‘Urges’ is they don’t just frown your face they also spoil your pillow. Your Pillow is where you lay your head all night long.The very places were the mind rests, having a spare clean Pillow and Stockings is important.

v  Cooking Something Interesting;

My ‘Urge’ of smoke are totally dissolved with my favourite African Potato dish, which  heart yearns and it is served with a well boiled goat brown stew and mashed Irish potatoes.

v  Getting to watch a Video;

My ‘Urges ‘are now wrestled with my love to watch Educational movies. Inspecting the loop holes in the movie and my desire to raise the standards is esteemed. I have no doubt that it will make the world of wonderful counselling more serene.

v  Take a drive;

I have come to realise that to be uplifted in a tri - cycle, motor bike or motor vehicle. Time passes swiftly as if you are meditating. The mind is made to be active as if its introduced are new to the mother earth. The joy of riding in tales the life of an overcomer. The comfort it brings looking through the window as if the mind is browsing through the moving environment, I have no doubt that it’s healthy for the brain.

v  Have Sex;

The benefits of having sex  are that it eases stress; may make prostate cancer less likely; lessens pain; improves sleep; lowers heart risks; count as exercise; boost libido and  helps immune system humming. Though it’s considered a taboo by tradition.

v  Getting a haircut or Manicure;

I have managed to label my bold head hair style, Zero. When I look at the mirror I do admire myself and so my friends tell me so. I feel better than the illusions of the mind that are triggered by ‘Urges’.

v  Starting a woodwork project;

Apart from looking for a job, I do have a narc of designing anything which I see and call it lovely. Probably that how I was inspired to design my YONECO tie. With the few days I have worked at the Town drop in centre have seen children coming to eat and immediately off they go. It is necessary to launch a hands on project which transform the mind of street kids to do something positive in their life.

v  Go to the Library or book store;

Books they have an open arm of transforming the mind to be stable. Learning something new every day it is an excellent habit of transforming our dreams to reality.

v  Write an autobiography;

I found it worth it to Google my genealogy on the internet discover my refined identity which is worth it to speak better things about. You never know that you are greater than what you think. A man’s memory is bound to be a distortion of his past in accordance with his present interests, and most faithful autobiography is likely to mirror less what a man was than what he has become

There is a need to adhere to counselling and consultation time after time

The Plight of Young People Living with HIV in Malawi

It is now a known fact that HIV is now manageable as compared to how the situation was in the last two decades. People living with HIV are now able to live healthy and productive lives without the fear of death which loosely became the synonym of HIV some years ago.

Through various ways, more and more young people are living with HIV. The coming in of Antiretroviral Drugs is a major step towards having healthy and strong young people. Both those Living with HIV and those who are not are able to contribute positively to the development of the country in their capacities as young people.

Recently, there has been a lot of talk about providing necessary support to young people who are living with HIV. However, I have not really seen a lot in terms of action towards ensuring that Young People Living HIV/AIDS are given the much needed support. If there is a group of people who need to be heard and their concerns addressed are the young people who are living with HIV.

The inattention that is given to YPLHA has led to increased number of them to default drugs and eventually develop AIDS. Many young people have been lost due to our uncaring attitudes.

Having HIV is a health issue and just like any other personal healthy issue, YPLHA have been longing for privacy. They have always wanted to make sure that their HIV status is not known to others. This is due to a number of valid reasons and it would be good to work on the issues that are there to guarantee them this wish. For instance, YPLHV who are in boarding schools face a lot of challenges to get a permission to go to hospital to collect ARTs.

Why do teachers have to ask so many question?

Why do teachers disclose this to every staff member who later go out to tell other students?

This leads to the worst stigma ever on the school compass. When their status is known, YPLHA have to brave and endure discrimination in all its various forms. However, it is hard to concentrate when the whole compass seems to be sidelining you and maybe a few others. We should not except such young people to excel in their studies because the position they have been places on is worse than I a prison cell where everyone treats another as a fellow prisoner and not an outsider.

There are so many situations that have put the lives of YPLHA in danger. We need to work on this as a nation. Let us listen to the voices of YPLHA…even their silence has to be properly comprehended, it is a communication and we need to know what it means.  

YONECO Distributes 15 Bicycles to YCBDAs in Mangochi.

YONECO distributed a total of 15 bicycles to Youth Community Based Distribution Agents (YCBDAs) in the areas of Traditional Authority Mponda and Nankumba in Mangochi district.

Speaking during the handover ceremony, District Youth Friendly Health Service (YFHS) Coordinator, Chisomo Petros, applauded YONECO for the support. Petros said this will greatly contribute towards ensuring that young people who live far from health service delivery points are able to access various Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) services within their vicinities.

“Provision of services is very key in ensuring that young people are able to prevent various SRH challenges like unintended pregnancies as well as reducing the prevalence rate of HIV and other Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs).

This gesture will greatly contribute towards reducing various SRH challenges which young people, especially those who live in rural areas and hard to reach areas face” said the YFHS Coordinator.

One of the recipients from T/A Nankumba, Luis Gama, thanked YONECO for the bicycles. In his remarks, Gama said the bicycles will enable them to reach out to many young people in his area.

“Our concern was on how we can easily reach out to young people with the services because of mobility challenges that are there. On behalf of all young people from Nankumba, I would like to thank YONECO for the support and ask other NGOs to emulate this good example,” said Gama.

The bicycles were distributed after the 15 recipients were trained on provision of SRH services. The training was conducted with technical support from the Reproductive Health Unit (RHU) of the Ministry of Health. In his remarks, the National Coordinator for Reproductive Health Services in Malawi, Hans Katengeza, urged the YCBDAs to properly take care of bicycles and to make sure that they are reaching out to as many young people as possible.

HIV and STI prevalence rate among young people in Malawi is shockingly high. This is attributed to a number of factors and among the key challenges is lack of access to SRHR services due to long distances. Thus, YCBDAs come in to close the gap by providing some SRH Services to young people within their localities.

The bicycles were distributed with support from Simavi- Netherlands through Get Up Speak Out (GUSO) Programme which YONECO and its partners in the Malawi Sexual Reproductive Health Rights Alliance is implementing in Chikwawa and Mangochi districts. Other partners in the Alliance are; Family Planning Association of Malawi (FPAM) Coalition of Women Living with HIV and AIDS (COWLHA), Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR), Centre for Youth Empowerment and Civic Education (CYECE) and Centre for Alternatives for Victimized Women and Children (CAVWOC).

Stigma and Discrimination Forcing Us to Abandon Our Kith and Kin

An aerial view of a rural growth centre in Mangochi district 

It is so sad that there is still stigma and discrimination in this contemporary world where people are more cultured unlike in the past. People discriminate fellow human beings because of all sorts of reasons like health status, gender, age, tribe, race and what have you. Discrimination and stigma are like cactus - they grow and flourish without any known source of nourishment. Every person is a human being before they are LGBTI, male or female, young or old, living with or without HIV and I firmly believe that this is an irrefutable fact.

Stigma and discrimination still exists in this period whereby the human race is more cultured than before. This one of the most common topics which I and my uncle who lives in Mangochi usually discuss whenever we meet. This uncle of mine is a respected deacon in one most famous protestant churches in Malawi. His values have always compelled me to admire him and I sometimes ask myself if this praise of his character does not fit into the condemned category of idol worship. All in all, just know that he is a man of good character who once angrily told people to let go someone who was caught stealing from his shop. To the amazement of those who were planning to try out new tricks in the field of mob justice, my uncle said; ‘Who are we to judge and punish? Let this man loose and may he go in peace and not in peaces’.

However, there is one side of my uncle’s character that was hidden to me until last Saturday when I went to visit him. Ever since he moved to Mangochi district, I visit him on Sundays once in every five or six months. I prefer to visit him on Sundays due to several reasons and among them is the fact that Sundays are easy days of the week whereby I do not go to work and he also closes his shop. …yes, another reason is the fact that there is usually no traffic. Conversely, I visited this young brother of my father on Saturday due to what I will loosely call ‘circumstances beyond my control’ for fear of airing my dirty lined in public. As a consequence, visiting my uncle on such a day meant spending my time in his shop. My uncle’s wife led me to a small trading centre that is situated within the vicinity of a very busy public health facility.

My uncle’s tailoring shop that also doubles as a grocery store directly faces the entrance of the Health Centre just across a small dusty road. I had to endure a lot of hardship with this arrangement. To begin with, the shop was not well ventilated and with the semiarid October heat, my skin looked just like a melting chocolate on a stick. Further to this, he was so busy and engaged with his customers or at times he was busy counting his money and eventually forgot about me. Later I realized that enduring all these mishaps, the situation I was in was some kind of a blessing in disguise as it gave me an opportunity to know who my uncle really is.

All that was just the bone and here is the meat… There came about four customers on the shop and a young man joined the queue. To my surprise, my uncle harshly asked the boy what he wanted to buy. I asked myself “what has happened to this man’s inherent hospitable nature?”

After a short silence, the boy said he wanted any paracetamol to which my uncle responded some milliseconds before the boy finished pronouncing the last syllable of his sentence. His response was simply “I don’t have.” The look on my uncle’s face read; “say one more word and I will punch your face.” To my dismay, I quickly searched the shelves with my eyes and saw two boxes of paracetamol. 

There were some murmurs among the men and women who were on the queue and my thinking was that the noise came about in protest to the treatment the fella got. I was wrong, the people were in support of what my uncle did and I instantly realized that the boy is an outcast in the village.  The comments which people made were like “if you had served him, we could have all one back without buying anything”. Another woman said, “at least he is not my relative”.  I saw anger in the eyes of everyone and I hope you know how it feels to be the only amiable person among many who are angry.  I was curious to know why the boy seemed so condemned by the community members. The boy must be something else. He was also being despised by a man who forgave someone who stole his hard earned money!  

When all the buyers had gone, my uncle said, ‘my late brother raised you well son. You are not like that little brat who came to buy soap a few minutes ago’.

“I don’t claim to be better than the next man uncle and I demand to know why you treated that boy like that?” It was my turn to be angry I guess. My uncle thought I will forgive and join his side by telling me that he dislikes the boy because he is gay. He accentuated the word ‘gay’ and pronounced it as if it has more vowels and consonants than it has. I didn’t know whether to laugh or stay quiet. I was unable to comprehend this whole scenario and heartrendingly, my uncle was also doing this.  

I reminded him that he once made headlines in village talks and gossip for letting a thief who was caught stealing from him go scot free for fear of judging someone a responsibility which said is solely left in the hands of the Creator. I asked if the boy’s sexual orientation has ever affected him personally. Your guess is as good as mine, he did not respond. Of course, he later said people cannot buy anything from his shop when they realize that he treats the boy fairly. This brought me to question about why the uncle hates the boy. “Is it the influence of society or it’s your personal disposition to hate gays?” I quizzed.

For the first time I saw the wisest man I have ever known stammering and lastly, he said it is a sin. I am not a theologian nor do I like grounding my arguments on religious doctrines but I know that there is no greater commandment than the ‘Golden Rule.” I told this uncle of mine who has succeeded to hide his hypocrisy for so long. I gave him the tool he reads every day and asked him to read Mathew 7:12, Luke 6:31 and Leviticus 19:18. I knew he has read all these verses but he just read them as mere piece of literature and had no impact on him. After reading almost at gun point, my uncle said I am just human, son.

Now, being human should not be an excuse to inflict pain we inflict on our fellow human beings no matter what. I asked my uncle if he noticed that the boy seemed to be in pain to which he afformed by nodding. I added that according to the direction which the boy came from, he might have been at the hospital but a certain self-proclaimed righteous health worker also refused to treat the innocent boy hence he thought of buying the pain killer from the shop. Should the boy live in the pain he is in because he is gay? The boy was not trying to force you to be like him why are you trying to force him to be like you?” These were more rhetoric devises than questions and did not expect answers from the cornered lion whose appearance suddenly started to resemble a mere cat.

Meanwhile, my uncle’s wife was just waiting for us to finish our discussion to remind us that she has brought some food. As my uncle was reflecting or pretended to be, silence ensued and the aunt notified us about the food and she complained how she spent all her energy and creativity to create something so short lived. This was in reference to the fact that I and my uncle eat like locusts in a corn field.

“I was listening to all what you were discussing” My uncle’s wife said. Neither I nor my uncle responded and our silence gave her courage to continue. In her narrative, she unearthed my uncle. I could sense that the issues she brought up were bottled up somewhere in her in her mind and were just waiting for the right time to erupt like a volcano.

One of the heartrending things she said was on how my uncle treats people he feels are HIV positive. She said that when such a person approaches his shop, he quickly slips his hand into a plastic paper and receives the money from them (those he says are HIV positive). The quotable quote came from my ‘auntie. She said that “the stigma and discrimination surrounding HIV and AIDS that was in the 1980s was propelled by the fact that very little was known about how HIV is transmitted hence it is strange that in this era there are still exists others who are stuck in old-fashioned way of thinking”. I added to say that worse still among those who have this mentality is your husband and my uncle.  

We have young people who are losing their lives simply because they were unable to access health care services because of the same stigma and discrimination. These vices; stigma and Discrimination have forced us to abandon our kith and kin and more often than not, when they need our support most.

We lose a lot and benefit nothing with our stigma and discrimination. People have been cured from fatal ailments with prescriptions or surgery made by a gay or lesbian physician. I have seen the elderly offering wise counsel and women saving lives. The problems we face as people are far much greater than the issues that divide us. We are all challenged by climate change, hunger, floods and what have you. Now, instead of joining hands to fight our common enemies we are busy finding grounds for hate and animosity.  Try to force yourself not to discriminate anyone on any ground and see if you will lose anything.

One thing I would like to emphasize in this entry is that young people who are living with HIV are being persecuted in our midst. Young people who are LGBTI do not have peace either. These groups of people cannot easily access health care services and this results into what most people do not want to accept - increased cases of STIs including HIV which are not fatal but lead to death and other incapacitation due to failure to access medical care in good time. 

With support from the through Simavi, YONECO and its partners in Malawi SRHR Alliance is implementing a project called Get up Speak (GUSO) in Chikwawa and Mangochi districts. Among other activities in this programme, YONECO has strengthened youth clubs, facilitated the establishment of Youth Radio Listening Clubs, training health care workers in the provision of Youth Friendly Health Services (YFHS)  trained adults in Meaningful Youth Participation and other areas. The aim is to ensure that all young people, especially girls and young women, are empowered to realise their SRHR in societies that are positive towards young people’s sexuality. No young person should be left behind because of age, sexual orientation, gender …

Do not just watch innocent young lives being ill-treated. Together, let us Get Up and Speak Out for youth rights!