Mufida a 23-year-old advocate in Tafashiya community in Kankia Local Government Area, Katsina state is breaking the intergenerational barrier by fearlessly speaking to parents and community duty bearers on the subject of child marriage. This is against the tide of deeply rooted practices justifying and sustaining child marriage in her community.
Mufida started a quiet revolution at the age of 16 when her best friend Aisha of the same age bracket was married off to a man in his late forties. Mufida was moved to act when Aisha fell victim of vesico vaginal fistula (VVF) during childbirth a year after her marriage. Aisha is still under medication for the physical injuries, while also nursing psychological trauma from domestic abuse from her husband. The plight of Aisha is the motivation for Mufida’s commitment and participation as an E2CM Champion. She believes joining the WRAPA-UNICEF advocacy provides her the opportunity to take the campaign to scale to place pressure on parents and duty bearers for practice shifts away from child marriage. In addition has enrolled to study health education to equip with knowlede and skills to speak parents and duty bearers on the ills of child marriage as well enable her to provide support for survivors.
“I was overjoyed when I learned about the End to Child Marriage Champions (E2CMC) program and promptly submitted my application. The term ‘End Child Marriage’ resonated with me because my community is predominantly engaged in hawking as a means of livelihood. In such an environment, many girls either face early marriages or are compelled to engage in hawking. I am determined to alter this narrative,” expressed Mufida.
Mufida, using her bitter-sweet experience is currently leading the E2CMC in Tafashiya community to sensitize and secure the buy-in of leaders of culture and faith. She currently can access the Mai Unguwa (district head), Mai Gari (community lead) and the chief Imam at any time to stop, intervene and caution parents on the issue of Child marriage and child hawking.
Mufida said “I wish this program had come earlier on to help my best friend Aisha, but Alhamdulillah I and the team have been able to stop 3 families from marrying off their girl child with the support of the Mai Unguwa and we are just starting.”
Mufida is looking to organize community dialogues, inviting both the young and the elderly to share their perspectives on child marriage. These sessions will become a melting pot of stories, where the elders will speak of tradition and the youths share their dreams for a different future.
Realizing the importance of education, Mufida and her fellow advocates have sought the support of WRAPA to partner with local schools to implement intergenerational workshops. These workshops will become a space for open conversations, where young students can express their aspirations, and elders can learn about the long-term consequences of child marriage on the community’s well-being.
In the end, the project might not only succeed in breaking the intergenerational barrier but also lay the foundation for a collaborative effort to end child marriage. The blend of tradition and modernity will become a powerful force, proving that positive change can be achieved when different generations join hands with a shared vision.
To further amplify their message, Mufida and her team will leverage the power of storytelling. They, in a recent activity organised by WRAPA with support from UNICEF Nigeria, carried out a series of short playlets featuring the testimonials of survivors, each narrative weaving a shade of the challenges faced by those affected by child marriage. These playlets are gradually becoming a powerful tool to evoke empathy and understanding across generations.
In Katsina state, the echoes of this journey are ushering in a new era where the strength of unity triumphs over the chains of tradition. Mufida’s initiative will not only spark dialogue but ignite a flame of transformation that transcends generations.
