Theresa Kachindamoto - changing the lives of girls in Malawi
The Dedza District of Malawi sits in between Mozambique and Lake Malawi and has under a million residents. Most live in poverty with the average family wage being $11 a month. Theresa Kachindamoto, a mother of five, had been working as a College secretary for almost 30 years when her brother, the Paramount Chief of the Deeds District, died and Theresa was appointed as his successor. She had no choice in the appointment as “Inkosi” but she has grasped the task with two hands and worked to promote education for boys and girls and has been instrumental in dissolving thousands of child marriages.
Although child marriages are illegal in Malawi, thanks to a 2015 law, children can still marry if they have parental permission and an estimated 46% of girls under 18 are married (and 9% before the age of 15). Theresa works with communities and parents to dissolve child marriages. Dowries are still commonplace in Malawi, making dissolution difficult if the parents object. Children who marry are less likely to stay in education and there is an increased risk of HIV.
In 2024, Theresa received an honorary doctorate from Universite Catholique de Louvain (Belgium) for her educational campaigning work.
I decided to make this portrait of Theresa in stained glass to raise awareness of the struggles in Malawi that continue today around education and the rights of girls. Like Jaha Dukureh, the issues she is trying to change are deeply rooted in her country’s traditions and although some of her peers are progressive, many are reluctant to change making her battle all the harder.
I chose Uro by Yough art glass for the headdress and jacket. It’s beautifully textured (but challenging to cut). I used the colours of the Malawi flag (black, red and green) as a background and it’s framed with lead with a hanging chain.
If you want to buy this one-off window hanging, please take a look at my shop.
I do custom work so if you are looking for a special gift, get in touch with your ideas.