Many adolescent girls are coerced / trafficked into sexually exploitation. Both directly, and by strengthening existing structures, Theatre for a Change (TfaC) Malawi will improve access to child protection services and provide psychosocial counselling and case management, enabling girls to be safe.
Categories
Beneficiaries
Situation
Malawi is the world’s fourth poorest country. A lack of income, the impact of HIV / Aids on families, early child marriage and high rates of violence result in many young girls becoming involved in sex work. As well as the physical and mental abuse they experience, this also leads to increasing rates of sexually transmitted infections, pregnancy and unsafe abortion, as well as girls dropping out of education.
Solution
TfaC's child centred approach acknowledges the complex reasons underpinning minors engaging in sex work. Rather than treating girls as a homogenous group and simply 'rescuing' children and sending them back 'home', our child protection workers and psycho-social counsellors will offer tailored support guided by what the girls want and need, including health counselling and services, supporting a return to their family or to a safe house, and access to education and vocational training.
