School dropouts, early marriages and pregnancies decline in Ntchisi District

By Brighton Tchongwe- contributor

The Muslim Association of Malawi (MAM) has reported significant improvements in access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) services for adolescent girls and young women through the N’zatonse project.

During a media tour highlighting success stories from youth clubs in Ntchisi District, MAM Ntchisi Coordinator Francis Nyasulu explained that the project’s primary goal is to ensure that youth, aged 10 to 24, have access to SRHR services and engage in pig rearing for sustainability.

Nyasulu noted that the project is being implemented in twelve Traditional Authorities with 45 youth clubs, enhancing SRHR access by engaging religious leaders, government officials, and community stakeholders. The initiative addresses various health-related issues, including governance, service delivery, accountability, and social behavior change.

He highlighted the project’s focus on genuine youth participation and leadership, empowering young people to understand and advocate for their SRHR needs, as well as fostering community mobilization.

“We have seen the Zafika Youth Club successfully rearing pigs, which serves as a sustainable intervention for replicating SRHR messages within their clubs. This approach helps mobilize youth to ensure they receive essential information about social behavior change and communication interventions,” said Nyasulu.

He added that the project aims to dismantle religious, social, and cultural barriers that hinder youth access to SRHR services.

Halison Phiri, Treasurer of Zafika Youth Clubs from Chipokosa Village, expressed gratitude for the N’zatonse project, stating that the youth are now benefiting from pig rearing, which has allowed them to explore various business ventures.

“Before the project, I had no vision, but now, after joining the Zafika Youth Clubs, we can share profits from our pig businesses. I am now an agent here in Chipokosa Village,” said Phiri.

Omega Kachingwe, a mentor at the Chitete Youth Club Netball Clinic, praised the project for reducing early marriages, pregnancies among young women, and premature deaths in the district.

Kachingwe noted that the Netball Clinic mobilizes youth clubs from different villages to disseminate accurate information about SRHR services and family planning methods, resulting in lower school dropout rates and sexually transmitted diseases among youth.

The N’zatonse project Phase V is being implemented by the Muslim Association of Malawi in Ntchisi District with financial support from the Government of Germany through the German Development Bank (KFW), amounting to $2,859,037.

The project is also being implemented in collaboration with other local organizations, including Population Services International, NCA/DCA, and the Family Planning Association of Malawi (FPAM).