Theresa Kachindamoto: Leading the Charge Against Child Marriage & Empowering Girls Through Education 

Theresa Kachindamoto is a pioneering figure from Malawi who has emerged as a strong advocate for girls’ rights and education. As the chief of Dedza district in central Malawi, she has gained global recognition for her tireless efforts to combat child marriage and to create educational opportunities for both girls and boys.

Her leadership journey began in 2003 when she was appointed chief, a rare and significant role for a woman in her community. At that time, child marriage was widespread in the area, with many young girls being married off due to deep-rooted cultural traditions and societal pressures. These marriages were often viewed as a means of alleviating financial burdens, with girls seen as economic liabilities. However, such marriages condemned many girls to lives of poverty, abuse, and limited opportunities, preventing them from pursuing education or building better futures for themselves.

Unwilling to accept this injustice, Kachindamoto took decisive action when she assumed leadership. One of her earliest and most impactful moves was annulling over 850 child marriages in her district. Confronting families and community leaders with both firmness and compassion, she insisted that they dissolve the marriages and allow the girls to return to school. She used her authority decisively, warning that district chiefs who failed to support her initiatives would be removed from office. Her bold interventions sent a clear message that child marriage was no longer acceptable under her leadership.

Kachindamoto didn’t stop at ending child marriages. She also introduced programs to help these girls re-enter the education system, enabling them to recover lost learning. Her commitment to education extended beyond girls, as she also advocated for equal access to education for boys, recognizing that long-lasting change can only occur when both genders have the same opportunities to learn and grow.