Sarah’s blog 10/05/24
The young people we help to support are so vulnerable and life is extremely hard for them. Levison and team are doing an amazing job, working tirelessly to try to give hundreds of children and young people a brighter future.
Maria was at risk of being married off at age 11 because her grandparents couldn’t afford to feed her. Imagine being so desperate that you’d allow an 11 year old to get married to a man. It’s just beyond comprehension. Young girls are far more likely to die during childbirth or have lifechanging injuries.
We have been thankful that sponsors have come forward to support the most vulnerable girls and that they now have a monthly food parcel going into their home to supplement the meagre supplies they already have.
However, Levison has had an extremely trying time over the past few days. One of the sponsored young people isn’t well. Levison found out that the parents were going to take him to a witchdoctor. He spoke with the parents and said that they should take him to the health centre. Levison also spoke with the village chief and he agreed that any sick children should, in the first instance, be taken to the health centre. This will be communicated to the community.
Levison also found out, when he was doing welfare checks at sponsored children’s homes, that two of the young teenage sponsored girls were being married off to men. Arrangements were already underway. Levison went to see the village chief and councillors about this illegal practice. One of the men involved has fled to Zambia. The village heads are going to remind the community about this not being allowed and that parents/carers will be taken to court. For now, these girls are safe. But the situation with families struggling is always in the background. Attitudes to child marriage need to change.
However, there are many girls, like Maria, who have been saved by having a sponsor to support them and through the selfless work and caring attitude of Levison and team. Also, through sponsorship and education, girls who are in school are less likely to become pregnant. Many girls have been saved from becoming teenage mothers by being in full-time education.
We need more sponsors to protect more girls. If you would like to help a vulnerable girl have a secondary education and a brighter future then please do get in touch contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com Please help us prevent more child marriages by sponsoring a girl who needs our help. It’s only £25 per month which is less than £1 per day. You can share that cost with a friend to ensure that as many girls as possible are saved from being child brides. Please help them have a place at Bright Futures Secondary School and choices and chances that they don’t currently have. It might be the most important thing you ever do for them. Thank you, Sarah x
