War Against Child Prostitution in Malawi

Honorable Patricia Kaliati

Even though it has taken over 3 months for Ovaha's Hut to write about it, Now we have come of the ground to let the world know about the fight against child prostitution in Malawi.
We believe that a good story does not rot regardless of how long it might take.

As Ovaha's Hut we are here to applaud and pray for more strength after strength to Minister of Gender, Disability, Women and Social Warfare, Honorable Patricia Annie Kaliati for what she did in April.

Kaliati raided the two clubs, Jacalanda Bar and Jax Club with the help of Nkando police.

During the operation, two girls under the age of 16, dressed for the day’s business, were rescued.

“I cannot be such a hypocrite to go as far as Ntcheu and anywhere else to close sex havens and brothels where minors are being exploited when the same is happening on my door steps. We must join hands to end this evil,” said Kaliati.

The owner of the bars was nowhere to be seen, but the bartender, who identified himself as Alex, explained that the underage girls come voluntarily more especially during the market days of Tuesdays and Saturdays. He said that, with the presence of the girls, men usually flock in for the minors and that they have proven to be a powerful magnet on the particular business. 

In an interview, one of the exploited minors aged 14 (name withheld) said it was because of poverty that she had traveled all the way from her home of Thabwa in Chikhwawa to do prostitution at Nkando after her friends back home had informed her that there was hot business at Nkando.

She elaborated: “I have been around for almost a week and I have already made about K 7, 000 after having sex with 7 men. I only accept sex using a condom. I normally avoid huge men but prefer slim ones.” After rescuing the girls, the Minister has since provided them with transport back to their respective homes.

4 months ago, the Minister had closed Mama Shabeen in Ntcheu for engaged minors in a brothel.

Reported by Malawi network.

We have seen and hear what the minister has done, now its our duty as a community, village or country to provide another new life to the girls who have been rescued. It begins with you, lets make our communities a best place to live for all.