Eamon Piringu

Eamon Piringu

In August last year, a six-year-old girl was forced into a girl’s initiation camp in a village in Machinga district.

This, naturally, disturbed the patience of children’s rights groups. They sought the prompt intervention of the courts. That is why the girl we are calling Patuma was released unconditionally after an order by a magistrate at Liwonde.

Patuma only exemplifies dozens of young girls traumatized by experiences in initiation camps.

In our special report this week, Eamon Piringu lays bare how this cultural practice is abusing the rights and freedom of girls as young as four, in a setting where traditional leaders and parents believe that a girl child needs sex education at a tender age.

Beneficiaries of the World Bank funded Climate Smart Enhanced Public Works Programme in Machinga have commended the programme for improving soil fertility in the district and promoting self-reliance among them.

Youths in the area of Senior Chief Chiwalo in Machinga have cited lack of knowledge among some duty bearers on sexual reproductive health rights as a challenge that continues to affect access to sexual reproductive health services and justice among them.

Beneficiaries of the government funded social cash transfer programme in Balaka have expressed satisfaction with the way the programme has transformed their economic livelihoods.

Irrigation farmers in the area of group village headmen Mangamba and Ngongonda in Machinga say they expect improved crop yields from their winter cropping this year.

Children in Machinga have expressed concern with increased child labour in rice fields in the district.

Authorities in Machinga have disclosed that 1909 girls from 22 traditional authorities have been withdrawn from early marriages since the inception of the European Union and United Nations funded Spotlight Initiative (SI) in the district in 2019.

Beneficiaries under a UNDP and Japanese Supplementary Budget (JSB) funded Transform Project in Machinga are now reaping fruits from the project which has improved their economic wellbeing as well as promoting tolerance to shocks of natural disasters.

Gospel hip-hop artist Mic Mash whose real name is Daniel Kasinjeni has bounced back on the music industry with a fresh album "Akuzike" hitting the market on Saturday.

Several journalists at Zodiak Broadcasting Station (ZBS) have won thirteen individual awards at this year's Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Malawi ceremony that took place at Crossroads Hotel in Lilongwe on Saturday night aimed at recognizing journalists and media houses that have highly performed in the previous year.

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