Empowering Girls in Malawi with Herlendo

Empowering Girls in Malawi through Access to Knowledge on Sexual and Reproductive Health 

Understanding the Challenge

In Malawi, societal norms and a lack of information pose significant barriers to the physical well-being and self-actualization of girls and young women. This is especially true in the areas of sexual and reproductive health and rights (often abbreviated as SRHR). Societal stigmatizations, such as the taboo surrounding menstruation, further exacerbate these problems. As a result, many girls face increased risks of early marriage, dropping out of school, high rates of teenage pregnancy, and infections from sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), such as HIV.

Our Solution

Herlendo offers easy-to-understand, reliable, and engaging information on key personal topics such as menstrual hygiene, family planning, discrimination, and the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases like HIV. All content is also provided in Chichewa, the predominant national language of Malawi. As an essential part of Xulendo, our general educational platform, Herlendo is not only tailored to the needs and cultural context of girls and young women in Malawi but also developed with them (Girl-led design!). 

Long-term Impact

Herlendo aims to empower girls by:

  • Challenging common misinformation and myths around menstruation, sexual health, and sexuality.
  • Providing clear and understandable education on topics such as menstruation and sexuality, while promoting hygienic and healthy practices to encourage well-being.
  • Sharing knowledge and safe methods for the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases and HIV.
  • Strengthening and promoting the autonomy of young women.
  • Ultimately contributing to the reduction of teenage pregnancies and early marriages, and supporting girls in continuing their education and fully realizing their potential.

Features

svg/136-MWI--MalawiCreated with Sketch.Created by Xinh Studiofrom the Noun Project

Locally adapted content: Specifically tailored to the Malawian context to improve relevance and understanding.

Created by Llisolefrom the Noun Project

Extensive topics: Herlendo covers a range of important topics, including menstruation (the menstrual cycle, menstrual hygiene, and everyday life), puberty, family planning, relationships, myths, everyday life during menstruation, violence prevention, and human rights. These topics are tailored to the needs and challenges of girls and young women in Malawi.

aCreated by putrakali735from the Noun Project

User-friendly: Herlendo is intuitively designed for easy use on various devices. We also collaborate with local NGOs and women’s initiatives, to reach girls without internet access. 

Get an overview in our short video of how Herlendo empowers girls in Malawi through education

Community Approach

At Herlendo, our focus is on content relevance and creating direct benefits for girls and young women. Herlendo is not only for, but also developed by, Malawian girls and young women. Our content builds on the work of UNICEF and is continuously improved in collaboration with local experts from Malawi, such as from the MH Hub and Padziwe. Herlendo is also used by our local partner organizations that advocate for the promotion of women's rights in Malawi. We are always open to new collaboration opportunities to expand the benefit and reach of Herlendo.

Are you interested in Herlendo or have questions about it? Feel free to contact us and/or support our work on Herlendo.

 

References

  • World Bank. „Malawi Overview: Development news, research, data“. (https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/malawi/overview)
  • UNICEF Malawi. „The situation of children and women in Malawi“. (https://www.unicef.org/malawi/situation-children-and-women-malawi).
  • OkyApp (https://okyapp.info/).
  • UNICEF. „Safer Chatbots Implementation Guide“. (https://www.unicef.org/documents/safer-chatbots-implementation-guide).