EMDEF’s Towera Ngwira Shines at Youth Activism Awards

Extra Mile Development Foundation (EMDEF) Executive Director Towera Ngwira, has been awarded the 2022 Malawi Activism Award for her exemplary role in youth empowerment especially sexual reproductive health rights amongst girls and young women.

The 25 year old whose organisation is based in Mzuzu was given the award by YouthWyze Malawi in collaboration with SRHR Africa Trust (SAT) Malawi on Friday 21st October 2022.

Speaking after receiving the award, Ngwira said the award has given her motivation to continue doing her activism work of uplifting vulnerable youths.

“This award is a great blessing to me as it has boosted my energy in improving health lives of vulnerable girls and young people and that my work is valued, I will go the extra mile to impact more lives,” she said.

Towers Ngwira started youth activism in 2019 when she collaborated with 10 schools in Machinga and Mzimba North districts and community structures, where she trained over 2 500 adolescent girls and women on how to sew reusable sanitary pads and sharing information about Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights and sensitization campaigns.

Through her organisation she is also building change rooms in two primary schools to give young girls private spaces to change their sanitary pads and bath when they are on their periods.

She is also empowering 78 survivors of child marriage and school dropouts from T/A Mposa in Machinga, and under her guidance, 68 girls returned to school.