Theresa Kachindamoto had never held the ambition to become chief.
She lived in a different town and had multiple older siblings. But despite that, her reputation for being “good with people” secured her an unexpected election. In the end, she was informed that she will get the job “whether I like it or not”.
And so, this kind-hearted woman became senior chief, and immediately brought an end to the practice of child marriage among her community.
Having been a widely accepted cultural practice in the area, many parents had previously married their children off at a young age, usually for financial reasons.
Kachindamoto was determined to take a stand against the tradition which took teenage girls and made them wives and mothers long before the age of 18.
When she visited the area of Monkey Bay, the chief met with girls as young as 12 who had both children and husbands.
To this she responded by saying:
“I TOLD THEM: ‘WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT, I WANT THESE MARRIAGES TO BE TERMINATED.’”
