As part of its commitment to gender justice, the Anglican Council in Malawi is championing girls’ education through innovative community-led projects across the dioceses of Lake Malawi and Southern Malawi. With support from USPG, the Gender Justice Through Girls’ Education Advocacy Campaign is tackling longstanding barriers that prevent girls from fully accessing education.
One such barrier is the lack of information and open conversation about sexual health and relationships. The Anglican Council in Malawi recognises that supporting girls to stay in school means addressing the stigma around puberty and key life stages. By providing girls and boys with accurate, age-appropriate information about their bodies and relationships, the project helps keep children in school, reduce early marriages, and foster greater understanding within the community.
At the heart of the campaign are school clubs, which provide quarterly, interactive sessions on menstrual hygiene, life skills, and sexual and reproductive health. These clubs not only reduce stigma around menstruation but also create safe spaces where students, parents, and teachers can learn together, support one another, and build inclusive school environments where girls can thrive.
A nurse teaches a sexual health education class to a group of girls at a primary school club in Linjidzi parish.
In Linjidzi Parish, these initiatives are already making a difference. Many adolescent girls now attend school everyday thanks to access to reusable sanitary pads and school uniforms, which remove practical barriers that previously kept them at home. Community leaders are also involved, implementing local rules to encourage school attendance and combining cultural traditions with accountability measures. The campaign has even hit the airwaves, with radio jingles in the local language helping to promote the message.
As a result of these combined efforts, a significant shift is being witnessed, more girls are present in school daily and are participating in lessons.
Hear from the girls themselves about the difference these initiatives are making.
Before, I used to miss school whenever I had my period because I had nothing to use. Now that I have pads and a uniform, I don’t feel ashamed anymore, and I attend classes every day. I want to finish school and become a nurse.
Fourteen-year-old Thokozani
These rules help us a lot because parents make sure we go to school. Even when I feel lazy, I know I must attend. It makes me more serious with my education.
Thirteen-year-old Esnart
Central to the vision of USPG is a strong commitment to Gender Justice – ensuring that women and men, girls and boys, can flourish equally in church and society. Through advocacy, education, and practical support, USPG challenges structures of discrimination and empowers communities to embrace inclusivity as part of living out the Gospel.
The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, observed from 25 November to 10 December, is an international campaign to raise awareness and take action to end violence against women and girls. Follow @USPGglobal on social media or visit uspg.org.uk to find out how our global Church partners, like the Anglican Council in Malawi, are championing gender justice.
Pray for Malawi:
- Pray for economic stability and the impact on the lives of people and the diocesan work coordinated by ACM.
- Pray for all partners supporting ACM, including the parishes and the communities being served, that their work may bear lasting fruit.
- Pray for diocesan leaders, that they may make wise decisions to grow the church, empower clergy and lay leaders, and promote the well-being of all members.
- Pray for the spiritual growth of parishioners, that they may gain a deep understanding of the teachings of Christ and continue to grow in their love of God.