At Girls Activist Youth Organisation (GAYO), we believe that when young people are empowered to speak, act, and lead, communities transform. Our recent feature in Malawi News on 7 March 2026 is a powerful testament to this truth, showcasing how our NORAD-funded Tikwaniritse ndi Kuteteza ma Ufulu a Ana (TiKUMA) programme, implemented by GAYO with support from Save the Children Malawi, is reshaping education and amplifying youth voices in Malawi.
At Girls Activist Youth Organisation (GAYO), we believe that when young people are empowered to speak, act, and lead, communities transform. Our recent feature in Malawi News on 7 March 2026 is a powerful testament to this truth, showcasing how our NORAD-funded Tikwaniritse ndi Kuteteza ma Ufulu a Ana (TiKUMA) programme, implemented by GAYO with support from Save the Children Malawi, is reshaping education and amplifying youth voices in Malawi.
The vision of TiKUMA is bold and inspiring: by 2028, all children will enjoy their right to education and be protected through strong community and government systems. To achieve this, Save the Children and GAYO, together with partners, are creating hubs of excellence in Balaka and Mchinji districts to generate experience and evidence for replication and scale.
At Sundwe Primary School in Mchinji, learners’ councils supported under TiKUMA are already driving change. Students now have a structured platform to raise concerns and propose solutions. This has led to tangible improvements such as the construction of toilets, reduced dropout rates, and a culture of dialogue where learners actively shape their education. These changes go beyond infrastructure—they build agency, confidence, and leadership among young people.
TiKUMA is built on three interrelated thematic areas
- Child Rights Governance: strengthening government systems to be accountable, responsive, inclusive, and transparent in fulfilling children’s rights.
- Child Protection: ensuring children are protected from child marriage, sexual and gender-based violence, teenage pregnancies, and emotional abuse, while fulfilling their sexual and reproductive health and rights.
- Education: enabling children to access and complete quality, inclusive basic education with improved competencies in foundational literacy and numeracy.
This five-year programme was co-designed with partners and informed by a situation analysis that included consultations with 250 children, including 16 with disabilities, across four districts. It reflects the voices of children themselves, ensuring that their lived experiences shape the solutions.
Being featured in Malawi News is not just a milestone it is a reminder that our collective efforts are resonating beyond our immediate communities. It affirms the importance of partnerships, from NORAD’s funding to Save the Children Malawi’s support, and collaboration with schools, parents, and government actors.
Looking ahead, GAYO remains committed to expanding learners’ councils, amplifying girls’ voices, and building inclusive education systems that leave no child behind. Together with our partners, we are creating a future where every learner has a voice, every girl has a chance, and every community thrives.
