In a country where patriarchy has long dictated the lives of women and girls, Chief Kachindamoto dared to resist.
The Terminator of Child Marriages, as she was fondly known, was not content with silence or tradition. Instead, she confronted some of the most harmful practices head-on and reshaped Malawi’s cultural landscape in ways few thought possible.
At a time when it was legal for girls as young as 16 to marry with parental consent, she refused to accept the status quo. She annulled more than 800 child marriages and sent those girls back to school.
She raised funds to pay for school fees and basic needs, ensuring education was not a privilege but a pathway. These were not symbolic gestures. They were concrete, disruptive actions that challenged deep-rooted customs.
Her leadership carried costs. Refusing child marriages meant rejecting the gifts that came with them goats, chickens, and other tokens of respect that reinforced a chief’s authority. By turning these away, she angered many. But her resolve did not waver.
She issued by-laws outlawing child marriage in her district and punished defiant sub-chiefs. What began as one woman’s stand soon inspired a wider movement.
The result was transformative. Chiefs across Malawi started to follow her lead. Media outlets amplified her story. Parliamentarians debated reforms. And, with support from UNFPA through the Gender Equality and Women Empowerment Programme, cultural norms began to shift.
Girls who once faced an inevitable future of early marriage now had an alternative education, protection, and opportunity.
Her death is a profound loss. She leaves us at a time when progress is under threat. Teenage pregnancies are on the rise, climbing from 29 to 32 per cent nationally. These numbers represent thousands of girls at risk of leaving school and losing the chance to shape their own futures. Chief Kachindamoto would not have stood by. She would have demanded action.
The best way to honour her is not through mourning alone but through commitment. Malawi cannot afford to lose ground. Policymakers must enforce laws protecting girls. Communities must reject harmful practices that rob them of their potential.
Donors and partners must continue to invest in education and empowerment. And every citizen must be prepared to speak out when girls’ rights are at stake.
Chief Kachindamoto lit a fire for justice and equality. It is now our responsibility to keep that fire alive, burning brighter, stronger, and wider until every Malawian girl has the freedom to grow, to learn, and to lead.
About UNFPA:
UNFPA, United Nations Population Fund, is the sexual and reproductive health agency of the UN. It works to uphold the rights and choices of women, girls and young people across more than 150 countries. UNFPA aims to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe, and every young person can fulfil their potential.
