For thousands of girls in Kasungu, childhood is disappearing before they have the chance to fully experience it. Instead of sitting in classrooms, building friendships and planning for the future, many are facing the realities of pregnancy at an age when they are still growing themselves.
The stories behind the numbers are a reflection of a wider crisis affecting families and communities across the district. Each teenage pregnancy represents a young life interrupted, with consequences that often extend beyond the girl to her education, health, economic opportunities and future.
Between January and May this year, Kasungu District recorded more than 5,000 pregnancies among girls aged between 10 and 19, raising difficult questions about what is driving the continued rise in teenage pregnancies and who is responsible.
The figures were revealed during a constituency awareness campaign on teenage pregnancies held at Chisazima Village under the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Parliamentary Forum’s Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights project, which is being implemented by the Parliament of Malawi.
Kasungu District Youth Friendly Health Services Coordinator Ensai Zimba said the district also recorded 176 cases of girls terminating their pregnancies during the same period. He described the situation as alarming and called for urgent action to address the growing challenge.
While the statistics reveal the scale of the problem, they do not tell the full story of what happens behind each case.
Questions remain about the circumstances surrounding these pregnancies, including the role of adolescent relationships, older partners, and possible cases of exploitation or abuse.
Zimba said one of the key interventions is ensuring that young people, especially those in hard-to-reach areas, regularly access Youth Friendlylt Health Services. He said improved access to information, counselling and reproductive health services can help adolescents make informed choices and reduce vulnerability.
Kasungu Central legislator Chikondi Kampachike Chisale, who chairs the SADC Parliamentary Forum’s Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights project Technical Working Group at Parliament of Malawi, pledged to push for initiatives aimed at reducing teenage pregnancies and child marriages.
Meanwhile, Parliament of Malawi SADC Parliamentary Forum Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights Project Officer Gomezgani Ngwira Kateka said the Swedish Government-funded programme will be expanded to other districts.
As stakeholders search for lasting solutions, the growing numbers in Kasungu serve as a reminder that protecting girls requires accountability, awareness and collective action from families, communities and leaders.
