Malawi: Encourage & empower - in the fight against gender-based violence

"I want my daughter to be able to go back to school. She can't lose her future because of a pregnancy." Mary (mother of a 14-year-old daughter)

When underage girls become pregnant in Malawi, they usually drop out of school. This further reduces their chances of finding a job that would enable them to make a living for themselves. Some have trusted a man in good faith who has promised them a marriage. However, the girls also lack knowledge about sexuality, sex education or the right to self-determination over their own bodies. Traumatisation and a lack of prospects make it difficult for some to sell their own bodies.

Especially in rural areas of Malawi, where the level of education is very low, girls and their parents have nothing to counter the assaults and violence. They lack the knowledge and courage to file a complaint, for example. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malawi (ELCM) wants to actively combat this injustice. Under the leadership of Pastor Bertha Munkhondya, the aim is to empower those affected and combat violence. It is an ambitious project that aims to bring about lasting change and thus reduce gender-based violence in three selected church districts.

Awareness-raising campaigns are used to achieve this, involving not only women and girls, but also men and boys. In so-called one-stop centres, affected persons receive comprehensive support quickly and unbureaucratically. The centres combine medical, legal and psychological help under one roof.

Please make a donation to help create a world in which people do not inflict violence on each other. Together we can give hope and ensure a better future.

Contact us

Phone +49 (0)5052 69-240
s.liebner(at)elm-mission(dot)net


IBAN DE90 2695 1311 0000 9191 91
BIC NOLADE21GFW
(Sparkasse Celle-Gifhorn-Wolfsburg)
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