"The Safe Space programme has been a lifeline for me" - Malawi's young women entrepreneurs build independence

CHIKAMPHULA VILLAGE, Malawi - In Malawi, Spotlight Initiative supported the establishment of Safe Spaces, which give women and girls a place to develop strategies for challenging harmful practices that fuel sexual and gender-based violence. Through a mentorship programme, girls and women learn how to combat accepted social practices like child marriage and how to assert their sexual and reproductive health and rights. 

At the same time, community funds help survivors of gender-based violence to access capital to start small businesses. Survivors form groups to access revolving loans and receive training in business management. 

Below, Safe Space members share how the groups have changed their lives. 

ELESTINA JOSEPH, 24

As we participated in Safe Space training sessions, it became clear that many girls in our community had experienced gender-based violence. In 2019, we formed a group of 20 girls who shared similar experiences. 

Together, we decided to start a pig farming business. This opportunity gave us a sense of purpose and direction, something many of us had previously lacked. 

Additionally, we established a village bank where we pool some of our profits every six months. 

In December, we had saved up 250,000 Kwacha, which we used to provide loans to two people at a time to help them start their own businesses. Personally, I ventured into the maize flour business and began selling at the local market. 

"This opportunity gave us a sense of purpose and direction."

With the income I earned, I saved up enough money to buy a plot of land, which is rare for women in our culture. My husband has been supportive, and our relationship has blossomed since both of us can support the household. 

Outside of the Safe Space, I conduct awareness campaigns in villages and at church, encouraging girls to report instances of abuse. Last year, we successfully intervened in a case where a teenager was forced into marriage, and we were able to help her leave the situation and join our Safe Space.

VICTORIA*, 19

During the COVID-19 pandemic, I was in Standard 8. My parents’ divorce had left my mum struggling financially, so I had to drop out of school to help her at the market. But at the market, I faced daily harassment. Men would often fondle me on my way back from the marketplace, while I was holding buckets. It was a terrifying experience. 

"My next goal is to return to school... I would like to become a doctor."

I joined a Safe Space last year and learned that fondling a girl is not normal. I started reporting these incidents, but, honestly, I doubted anyone would take me seriously. My mentor helped me. She escalated the cases to the Community Victim Support Unit and even to the village authority. 

Thanks to the public awareness campaigns initiated by the Spotlight Initiative, the frequency of fondling incidents in our community has decreased significantly. 

I also learned how to start a business at the Safe Space. I received a loan of 20,000 Kwacha to buy large amount of maize, mill it, and sell it at the market through our village savings group. Every week, 25 girls contribute 500 Kwacha each to the group. Then we award a loan to one of us to start a business. 

Leading this business has changed my life. For the first time, I’m making my own money. I can now afford to buy things like cosmetics, soap and lotions. My next goal is to return to school. I love helping people, so I would like to become a doctor.  

BLANDINA HOWARD, 20

When my parents split up, it hit us hard. My dad left, leaving my mum to raise five kids on her own. With money tight, I had to drop out of school. Sadly, it's a common story in rural Malawi – girls missing out on education because of money. It felt normal at the time. 

Things turned around when I got involved with the Spotlight Initiative’s Safe Space Programme in Chikamphula village. They helped us start a small business. At the time, I used to help my mum at her bakery, but I never saw myself capable of much more. 

I was a village girl; I had no self-confidence. After training with the 20 other girls, we decided on pig farming. With a grant from Spotlight Initiative, we bought pigs and the bricks to build our own shed. Now, we've got 10 pigs, breeding and selling their offspring. 

I used some of the money to start a restaurant and reinvested the rest. I never thought I'd be running my own business and taking care of my family. I even bought land to grow soybeans for extra income. My dream now is to have my own house and be independent. And I finally feel confident enough to make it happen. 

"My dream now is to have my own house and be independent. I finally feel confident enough to make it happen."

Using the extra money I earned, I made a big decision to go back to school. In 2021, the Safe Space programme helped pay for my Junior Certificate fees, and since then, I've been covering my secondary school fees on my own. I'm determined to pass my Certificate next year. 

During our weekly Safe Space sessions, we learn about gender-based violence. I've realized that many things we consider normal here, like guys harassing and fondling us on our way home from the market, are actually not okay and need to change. 

Now, I'm not just learning for myself. I'm also educating other girls in my village. Girls from the village come to me to share their painful experiences because I’m part of the Spotlight Initiative programme. It’s my duty to help. 

OLIVIA*, 19

I joined the Safe Space because a friend heard it was a place where people could learn and grow. I joined in 2023. 

Looking back now, it’s been eye-opening. For example, I learned things as simple as family planning. 

You see, when I was 16, I found myself facing an unplanned pregnancy. If I had known about family planning earlier, maybe I could have avoided it. Back then, I was struggling with poverty, and I thought having a boyfriend could help me out financially, maybe with buying exercise books and school materials. But instead, he got me pregnant and disappeared from the village, leaving me to face it all alone. 

"I’ve learned that it's okay to ask for help."

My relationship with my parents has been strained since I became a mum and dropped out of school. They were so disappointed in me, and they haven't been supportive. But now, I’ve learned that it's okay to ask for help from other places. 

Safe Space has been a lifeline for me. It's where I've learned crucial skills like financial independence and how to keep a cash book. Now, I'm able to make a living by growing maize and selling popcorn at the nearby school. It's not easy, but it's something I can do on my own, without relying on anyone else. 

*Name changed for privacy reasons.