Sometimes women in leadership positions underestimate the power they have to influence change. As a leader I have a network which we call women’s movement. Through Spotlight Initiative, we have a tribunal, chief forum and women’s group- we also involve the youth as they are the future of tomorrow- we work together as a network. When there is a case, we join together and see how we can go about it. We assign people to go there, research, then we have to find a solution, maybe take her to the police or courts.
Spotlight Initiative has been beneficial to the community. It has been an eye opener to the Maulawo community. At first, we didn’t know that gender-based violence is characterized in groups, we had just heard the word but now we know that it is not just physical but emotional. Importantly, as women, we now know where to go when we are abused. A big problem in my area is property being taken away from widows. This has caused additional heartache for many women. Through the Initiative, our group, with chiefs, has been helping widows to get what is rightfully theirs according to the laws of Malawi. We have learnt that it’s ok for women to inherit deceased property”.