By Andrew Bishop Mkandawire
Ntcheu chiefs under Inkosi Ganya on 27th and 28th February 2025 agreed to mobilize and distribute condoms to youth and link them with Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) service delivery points to combat unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections.
The chiefs who were part of the Kasinje youth mobiliser refresher orientation class organized by the family Planning Association of Malawi (FPAM) under the N’zatonse V project learnt about contraception demand creation skills in approaching interpersonal communication sessions using Greet, Ask, Tell, Help, Explain, Return (GATHER) and Family Planning Counselling Matrix to project benefits of modern family planning services during group discussions within the shortest period.
During the class, Group Village Head (GVH) Zande under T/A Ganya in Ntcheu explained that he did not fear any form of ridicule his community could press on him because he is an advocate of youth sexual and reproductive health. “I’m interested to support the youth by encouraging them to use modern family planning services like male condoms to prevent unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections,” he explained.
Chrissy Dziyendani, Harold Moffat, GVH Zande (With head gear) and Monica Kaonga (Community Health Nurse) during return male condom use demonstration
Another Chief, GVH Masoalikuka from Phepozinai, T/A Ganya also proclaimed commitment to serving youth with contraception information and referral linkages because it is important to support youth realize their goals and dreams in life.
“Although people identify us as cultural norms custodians, it is also our duty and responsibility to break cultural barriers that bar youth from accessing health services including sexual reproductive health. Youth are at the age that require careful planning for a brighter future.
Through Inkosi Ganya bylaws that were recently signed by the district council with support from N’zatonse V project through Dedza Catholic Health Commission early this year, we caution or penalize teen mothers and parents who perpetrate child marriages, and we also discipline youth indulging in drugs and substance abuse,” GVH Masoalikaku expressed.
The two chiefs who appealed to the youth mobilisers at Kasinje TDC class, openly scored their zeal to stop harmful initiation practices that push girls to jump into unprotected sex encounters to justify their readiness for marriage, locally known as “Kusasa Fumbi”. “We are going to engage the initiators with family planning knowledge to educate them about the dangers of unprotected sex among the adolescent and youth while lobbying to completely end such ill practices,” GVH Maoalikaku said.
Harlod Moffat and Chrissy Dziyendani applauded at the openness of the chiefs stating that their mobilization work will have backing of higher voices and communities will not identify them as promiscuous, but as promoters of health service seeking behaviors.
Speaking during the orientation class, the Ntcheu Youth Friendly Health Services Coordinator, Christopher Mulolo, said “In our society, chiefs are influential and highly respected leaders. Training chiefs as mobilizers will help to equip them with the right knowledge, hence increasing the availability of accurate sexual reproductive health information to the youth.”
The youth focused health worker also pointed that “Chiefs spend much of their time in the community interacting with people. Training them will make information flow faster, engage the youth on time, and increase family planning messages credibility among their subjects and peers.”
The youth mobiliser refresher orientation drilled chiefs, youth, community health workers and service providers of modern family planning to use GATHER and Family Planning Counselling Matrix to project benefits of modern family planning services to the clients. This concept falls under Participant Centered Care, Counselling for Choice. This approach responds to dire moments facing the youth in Malawi where the teenage pregnancy prevalence rate has increased from 28% to 32% according to Malawi Demographic Health Survey 2024.