TEDWomen 2015
Memory Banda: A warrior’s cry against child marriage
Memory Banda: Kilio cha shujaa dhidi ya ndoa za utotoni
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Maisha ya Memory Banda yalichukua njia ya tofauti na maisha ya dada yake. Dada yake alipovunja ungo, alipelekwa katika kambi ya awali ambayo inafundisha wasichana "jinsi ya kumridhisha mwanaume kimapenzi" Akapata uja uzito huko - akiwa na umri wa miaka 11. Lakini Banda akakataa kwenda. Badala yake , akaandaa wengine na akamuomba kiongozi wa jamii yake kupitisha sheria ndogo inayozuia wasichana kulazimishwa kuolewa kabla ya kufikisha miaka 18. Akaendeleza mapambano haya mpaka katika ngazi ya kitaifa ... akipata matokeo ya ajabu sana kwa wasichana wote , katika nchi yote ya Malawi.
Memory Banda - Activist
Memory Banda is a tireless leader for girls’ rights, in Malawi and around the world. Full bio
Memory Banda is a tireless leader for girls’ rights, in Malawi and around the world. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:13
I'll begin today
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Nitaanza leo
00:14
by sharing a poem
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kwa kuigawana shairi
00:16
written by my friend from Malawi,
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iliyoandikiwa na rafiki yangu mmalawi,
00:20
Eileen Piri.
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Eileen Piri.
00:22
Eileen is only 13 years old,
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Eileen ana miaka 13 tu,
00:25
but when we were going through
the collection of poetry that we wrote,
the collection of poetry that we wrote,
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lakini tulipoangalia diwani ya ushairi tuliyoandika,
00:31
I found her poem so interesting,
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Niliona shairi yake ilinivuta sana,
00:34
so motivating.
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ilitia motisha sana.
00:36
So I'll read it to you.
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Basi nitakusomeeni.
00:38
She entitled her poem
"I'll Marry When I Want."
"I'll Marry When I Want."
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Ameiita shairi yake
"Nitaolewa ninapotaka"
"Nitaolewa ninapotaka"
00:42
(Laughter)
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(Kicheko)
00:45
"I'll marry when I want.
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"Nitaolewa ninapotaka.
00:47
My mother can't force me to marry.
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Mama yangu hatonilazimisha kuolewa.
00:52
My father cannot force me to marry.
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Baba yangu hatonilazimisha kuolewa.
00:57
My uncle, my aunt,
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Mjomba, Shangazi,
01:00
my brother or sister,
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Kaka au dada,
01:02
cannot force me to marry.
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Hawawezi kunilazimisha.
01:05
No one in the world
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Hakuna mtu duniani
01:08
can force me to marry.
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awezaye kunilazimisha kuolewa.
01:11
I'll marry when I want.
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Nitaolewa ninapotaka.
01:14
Even if you beat me,
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Hata ukinipiga,
01:17
even if you chase me away,
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hata ukinifukuza
01:19
even if you do anything bad to me,
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hata ukinifanya vibaya,
01:22
I'll marry when I want.
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Nitaolewa ninapotaka.
01:26
I'll marry when I want,
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Nitaolewa ninapotaka,
01:29
but not before I am well educated,
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lakini sio kabla sijapata elimu nzuri
01:33
and not before I am all grown up.
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na sio kabla sijakua mtu mzima
01:37
I'll marry when I want."
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Nitaolewa ninapotaka."
01:40
This poem might seem odd,
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Shairi inaonekana isiyo ya kawaida
01:43
written by a 13-year-old girl,
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kuandikwa na msichana wa miaka 13,
01:47
but where I and Eileen come from,
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lakini tunapotoka mimi na Eileen,
01:52
this poem, which I have just read to you,
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shairi hiyo, niliyoikusomeeni,
01:55
is a warrior's cry.
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ni sauti ya shujaa.
01:59
I am from Malawi.
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Ninatoka Malawi.
02:03
Malawi is one of the poorest countries,
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Malawi ni nchi ya maskini,
02:07
very poor,
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maskini sana,
02:09
where gender equality is questionable.
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ambapo usawa wa kijinsi sio hakika.
02:14
Growing up in that country,
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Kukua katika nchi ile,
02:16
I couldn't make my own choices in life.
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Sikuweza kujichagulia katika maisha.
02:20
I couldn't even explore
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Sikuweza hata kuzichungua
02:22
personal opportunities in life.
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nafasi za kibinafsi katika maisha yangu.
02:25
I will tell you a story
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Nitakuambieni hadithi
02:27
of two different girls,
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ya wasichana wawili tofauti,
02:30
two beautiful girls.
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wasichana wawili warembo.
02:34
These girls grew up
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Hawa wasichana walikua
02:36
under the same roof.
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chini ya paa moja.
02:38
They were eating the same food.
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Walikula chakula sawa sawa.
02:41
Sometimes, they would share clothes,
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Wakati wengine, wangezigawana nguo,
02:44
and even shoes.
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na hata viatu.
02:46
But their lives ended up differently,
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Lakini maisha zao ziliishia tofauti,
02:51
in two different paths.
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kwa njia mbili tofauti.
02:55
The other girl is my little sister.
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Yule msichana mwengine ni dada yangu mdogo.
02:58
My little sister was only 11 years old
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Dada yangu alikuwa na miaka 11
03:03
when she got pregnant.
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alipopata mimba.
03:08
It's a hurtful thing.
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Ni jambo la kuumiza.
03:13
Not only did it hurt her, even me.
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Si kama ilimwumiza pekee, lakini mimi pia.
03:16
I was going through a hard time as well.
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Nilikuwa na wakati wa tafrani pia.
03:20
As it is in my culture,
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Kwa sasa katika utamaduni wangu,
03:23
once you reach puberty stage,
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ukifika ubalehe,
03:26
you are supposed to go
to initiation camps.
to initiation camps.
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inabidi uende makambi ya kuanzisha.
03:30
In these initiation camps,
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Katika makambi haya,
03:33
you are taught how
to sexually please a man.
to sexually please a man.
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unafundishwa vipi umfurahishe mwanamume kwa kijinsia.
03:36
There is this special day,
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Kuna siku maalum,
03:38
which they call "Very Special Day"
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wanayoiita "Siku maalum sana"
03:41
where a man who is hired
by the community
by the community
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ambapo mwanamume anaajiriwa na jamii
03:44
comes to the camp
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anakuja kambini
03:47
and sleeps with the little girls.
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na anafanya mapenzi na watoto wadogo.
03:51
Imagine the trauma that these young girls
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Wazeni kiwewe wasichana hawa
03:53
go through every day.
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wanachokisikia kila siku.
03:58
Most girls end up pregnant.
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Wasichana wengi wanapata mimba.
04:01
They even contract HIV and AIDS
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Na hata wanashikwa na ukimwi
04:04
and other sexually transmitted diseases.
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na magonjwa mengine ya zinaa.
04:07
For my little sister,
she ended up being pregnant.
she ended up being pregnant.
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Kwa dadangu mdogo,
alipata mimba.
alipata mimba.
04:12
Today, she's only 16 years old
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Leo, ana miaka 16
04:16
and she has three children.
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na ana watoto watatu.
04:19
Her first marriage did not survive,
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Ndoa yake ya kwanza haijaishi,
04:23
nor did her second marriage.
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wala ndoa yake ya pili.
04:26
On the other side, there is this girl.
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Kwa upande wengine, kuna msichana huyo.
04:31
She's amazing.
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Anashangaza.
04:33
(Laughter)
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(Kicheko)
04:35
(Applause)
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(Makofi)
04:39
I call her amazing because she is.
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Nasema anashangaza kwa sababu ni kweli.
04:42
She's very fabulous.
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Ni zaidi ya mzuri.
04:45
That girl is me. (Laughter)
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Msichana yule ni mimi. (Kicheko)
04:48
When I was 13 years old,
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Nilipokuwa na miaka 13,
04:51
I was told, you are grown up,
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Niliambiwa, umekua mzima,
04:55
you have now reached of age,
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sasa umebalehe,
04:58
you're supposed to go
to the initiation camp.
to the initiation camp.
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inadhaniwa uende kambi la kuanzisha.
05:01
I was like, "What?
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Nilisema, "Nini?
05:04
I'm not going to go
to the initiation camps."
to the initiation camps."
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Siendi kwa yale makambi ya kuanzisha."
05:10
You know what the women said to me?
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Unajua nini mwanamke yule aliniambia?
05:13
"You are a stupid girl. Stubborn.
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"Wewe ni mpumbavu. Mkaidi.
05:16
You do not respect the traditions
of our society, of our community."
of our society, of our community."
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Huziheshimu desturi za jamii yetu, za jumuia yetu."
05:24
I said no because I knew
where I was going.
where I was going.
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Nilikataa kwa sababu nilijua wapi nilipokwenda.
05:27
I knew what I wanted in life.
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Nilijua nilivyotaka katika maisha yangu.
05:31
I had a lot of dreams as a young girl.
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Nilikuwa na matumaini mengi nilipokuwa mtoto.
05:36
I wanted to get well educated,
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Nilitaka kupata elimu nzuri
05:39
to find a decent job in the future.
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Kutafuta kazi nzuri wakati wa badae.
05:42
I was imagining myself as a lawyer,
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Nilikuwa najifikiria kama mwanasheria,
05:44
seated on that big chair.
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kukaa katika kiti kile kikubwa.
05:46
Those were the imaginations that
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Yale yalikuwa mawazo
05:49
were going through my mind every day.
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yaliokuwa katika akili yangu kila siku.
05:52
And I knew that one day,
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Na nilijua kwamba siku moja
05:54
I would contribute something,
a little something to my community.
a little something to my community.
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Ningesaidia kupa kitu,
kitu kidogo kwa jumuia yangu.
kitu kidogo kwa jumuia yangu.
05:58
But every day after refusing,
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Lakini kila siku baada ya kukataa,
06:01
women would tell me,
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wanawake wangeniambia,
06:03
"Look at you, you're all grown up.
Your little sister has a baby.
Your little sister has a baby.
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"Jitazama, umekua mtu mzima.
Dadako mdogo amepata mtoto.
Dadako mdogo amepata mtoto.
06:06
What about you?"
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Vipi wewe?"
06:08
That was the music
that I was hearing every day,
that I was hearing every day,
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Ile ilikuwa muziki
niliyoisikia kila siku,
niliyoisikia kila siku,
06:13
and that is the music
that girls hear every day
that girls hear every day
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na ile ni muziki
wasichana wanayoisikia kila siku
wasichana wanayoisikia kila siku
06:16
when they don't do something
that the community needs them to do.
that the community needs them to do.
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wasipolifanya jambo
ambalo jumuia inawatakia wafanye.
ambalo jumuia inawatakia wafanye.
06:23
When I compared the two stories
between me and my sister,
between me and my sister,
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Nilipozilinganisha hadithi hizo mbili
kati ya mimi na dadangu,
kati ya mimi na dadangu,
06:27
I said, "Why can't I do something?
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Nilisema, "Mbona nisiweze kufanya kitu?"
06:32
Why can't I change something
that has happened for a long time
that has happened for a long time
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Kwa nini nisiweze kubadilisha jambo
lililotokea kwa muda mrefu
lililotokea kwa muda mrefu
06:37
in our community?"
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katika jamii yetu?"
06:39
That was when I called other girls
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Wakati ule niliwaita wasichana wengine
06:42
just like my sister, who have children,
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kama dadangu, ambao wamepata watoto,
06:44
who have been in class but they have
forgotten how to read and write.
forgotten how to read and write.
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waliokwenda darasani lakini
wamesahau kusoma na kuandika.
wamesahau kusoma na kuandika.
06:48
I said, "Come on, we can
remind each other
remind each other
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Nilisema "Njoo, tukumbushane
06:50
how to read and write again,
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je kusoma na kuandika tena,
06:52
how to hold the pen,
how to read, to hold the book."
how to read, to hold the book."
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kuikamata kalamu vipi,
kusomaje, kuzuia kitabu."
kusomaje, kuzuia kitabu."
06:56
It was a great time I had with them.
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Ilikuwa wakati nzuri sana nao.
06:59
Nor did I just learn a little about them,
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Sio kwamba nilifundishwa kidogo kuhusu wale,
07:04
but they were able to tell me
their personal stories,
their personal stories,
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lakini pia waliweza kuniambia
hadithi zao za kibinafsi,
hadithi zao za kibinafsi,
07:07
what they were facing every day
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waliyokabiliana kila siku
07:09
as young mothers.
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kama mama wadogo.
07:12
That was when I was like,
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Wakati ule nilidhani,
07:14
'Why can't we take all these things
that are happening to us
that are happening to us
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"Kwa nini tusiweze kuangalia mambo hayo
yanayotuathiri
yanayotuathiri
07:17
and present them and tell our mothers,
our traditional leaders,
our traditional leaders,
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na kuyaonesha na kuwaambia mama zao,
viongozi wetu wa jadi,
viongozi wetu wa jadi,
07:21
that these are the wrong things?"
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kwamba mambo hayo ni maovu?"
07:23
It was a scary thing to do,
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Ilikuwa jambo la hofu,
07:25
because these traditional leaders,
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kwa sababu viongozi hawa wa jadi,
07:27
they are already accustomed to the things
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wameshayazoea mambo
07:30
that have been there for ages.
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yaliyokuwepo kwa muda mrefu.
07:32
A hard thing to change,
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Ni jambo ambalo ni ngumu kubadilisha,
07:34
but a good thing to try.
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lakini nzuri kujitahidi.
07:37
So we tried.
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Kwa hiyo tulijitahidi.
07:39
It was very hard, but we pushed.
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Ilikuwa ngumu sana, lakini tulivumulia.
07:42
And I'm here to say that in my community,
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Na mimi nipo kwa kusema kwamba katika jumuia yangu,
07:45
it was the first community after girls
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ilikuwa jumuia ya kwanza baada ya wasichana
07:47
pushed so hard to our traditional leader,
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walijitahidi sana kumthibitishia kiongozi wa jadi wetu,
07:51
and our leader stood up for us
and said no girl has to be married
and said no girl has to be married
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na kiongozi wetu alitutetea
na akasema hakuna msichana
alazimishwaye kuolewa
na akasema hakuna msichana
alazimishwaye kuolewa
07:55
before the age of 18.
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kabla hajafika miaka 18.
07:57
(Applause)
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(Makofi)
08:05
In my community,
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Katika jumuia yangu
08:07
that was the first time a community,
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Ilikuwa mara ya kwanza kwa jumuia,
08:09
they had to call the bylaws,
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ilibidi watazame sheria ndogo,
08:12
the first bylaw that protected girls
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ya kwanza iliyowalinda wasichana
08:15
in our community.
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katika jumuia yetu.
08:18
We did not stop there.
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Hatukumaliza na hivyo.
08:19
We forged ahead.
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Tuliendelea.
08:22
We were determined to fight for girls
not just in my community,
not just in my community,
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Tulikusudia kuwapigania wasichana
sio katika jamii yangu tu
sio katika jamii yangu tu
08:26
but even in other communities.
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lakini kwenye jamii nyingine.
08:29
When the child marriage bill
was being presented in February,
was being presented in February,
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Wakati muswada wa ndoa za watoto
iliwasilishwa mwezi wa pili
iliwasilishwa mwezi wa pili
08:33
we were there at the Parliament house.
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tulikuwepo kwenye mahakama ya bunge.
08:37
Every day, when the members
of Parliament were entering,
of Parliament were entering,
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Kila siku, wakati wabunge
walipoingia,
walipoingia,
08:41
we were telling them,
"Would you please support the bill?"
"Would you please support the bill?"
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tulikuwa tukiwaambia,
"Tafadhali uitegemee muswada hii?"
"Tafadhali uitegemee muswada hii?"
08:44
And we don't have
much technology like here,
much technology like here,
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Na hatuna
teknolojia nyingi kama huku,
teknolojia nyingi kama huku,
08:49
but we have our small phones.
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lakini tunazo simu zetu ndogo.
08:51
So we said, "Why can't we get
their numbers and text them?"
their numbers and text them?"
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Kwa hiyo tulisema, "Mbona tusiweze kupata
namba zao na kuwatumia text?"
namba zao na kuwatumia text?"
08:56
So we did that. It was a good thing.
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Kwa hiyo tulifanya hivyo.
Na ilikuwa jambo zuri
Na ilikuwa jambo zuri
08:59
(Applause)
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(Makofi)
09:01
So when the bill passed,
we texted them back,
we texted them back,
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Kwa hiyo muswada ilipokubalika,
tuliwajibia na text,
tuliwajibia na text,
09:04
"Thank you for supporting the bill."
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"Asante kwa kutegemea muswada."
09:06
(Laughter)
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(Kicheko)
09:07
And when the bill was signed
by the president,
by the president,
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Na muswada iliposajilika
na Rais,
na Rais,
09:11
making it into law, it was a plus.
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kwa kuifanya kuwa sheria, ilikuwa ziada.
09:14
Now, in Malawi, 18 is the legal
marriage age, from 15 to 18.
marriage age, from 15 to 18.
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Sasa, katika Malawi, miaka 18 ni umri wa
kisheria kuolewa, kutoka 15 hadi 18.
kisheria kuolewa, kutoka 15 hadi 18.
09:20
(Applause)
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(Makofi)
09:26
It's a good thing to know
that the bill passed,
that the bill passed,
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Ni jambo zuri kulijua
kwamba muswada imakubalika,
kwamba muswada imakubalika,
09:30
but let me tell you this:
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lakini nikuambieni:
09:33
There are countries where 18
is the legal marriage age,
is the legal marriage age,
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Kuna nchi ambako miaka 18
ni umri wa kisheria kuolewa,
ni umri wa kisheria kuolewa,
09:37
but don't we hear cries
of women and girls every day?
of women and girls every day?
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lakini sio tunasikia kilio
za wanawake na wasichana kila siku?
za wanawake na wasichana kila siku?
09:41
Every day, girls' lives
are being wasted away.
are being wasted away.
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Kila siku, maisha ya wasichana
yanashuka thamani.
yanashuka thamani.
09:47
This is high time for leaders
to honor their commitment.
to honor their commitment.
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Ni wakati muhimu kwa viongozi waiheshimu ahadi yao.
09:53
In honoring this commitment,
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Kwa kuiheshimu ahadi hiyo,
09:56
it means keeping girls' issues
at heart every time.
at heart every time.
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inamaanisha kuyaweka maswala ya wasichana
moyoni kila mara.
moyoni kila mara.
10:01
We don't have to be subjected as second,
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Tusitiishiwe kama duni,
10:05
but they have to know that women,
as we are in this room,
as we are in this room,
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lakini wajue kwamba wanawake,
kama sisi chumbani humu,
kama sisi chumbani humu,
10:09
we are not just women,
we are not just girls,
we are not just girls,
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sisi sio wanawake tu,
sisi sio wasichana tu,
sisi sio wasichana tu,
10:13
we are extraordinary.
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sisi ni wa ajabu.
10:14
We can do more.
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Tunaweza kufanya zaidi.
10:16
And another thing for Malawi,
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Na kitu chengine kwa Malawi,
10:19
and not just Malawi but other countries:
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na si kwa Malawi pekee lakini nchi nyingine pia:
10:22
The laws which are there,
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Sheria zinazowepo,
10:26
you know how a law is not a law
until it is enforced?
until it is enforced?
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mnajua sheria sio sheria
mpaka inatekeleza?
mpaka inatekeleza?
10:32
The law which has just recently passed
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Sheria iliyokubalika juzi
10:35
and the laws that in other countries
have been there,
have been there,
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na sheria ambazo katika nchi nyingine
zimekuwepo,
zimekuwepo,
10:38
they need to be publicized
at the local level,
at the local level,
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zinahitajika kutangazwa
kwa njia za kienyeji,
kwa njia za kienyeji,
10:42
at the community level,
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katika jamii,
10:44
where girls' issues are very striking.
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ambako maswala ya wasichana yako wazi.
10:49
Girls face issues, difficult issues,
at the community level every day.
at the community level every day.
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Wasichana wanakabiliana na maswala,
maswala magumu, katika jamii zao kila siku.
maswala magumu, katika jamii zao kila siku.
10:55
So if these young girls know
that there are laws that protect them,
that there are laws that protect them,
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Kwa hiyo ikiwa wajue kwamba
kuna sheria ziwalindazo,
kuna sheria ziwalindazo,
11:00
they will be able to stand up
and defend themselves
and defend themselves
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wataweza kusimama
na kujilinda
na kujilinda
11:03
because they will know that
there is a law that protects them.
there is a law that protects them.
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kwa sababu watajua kwamba
kuna sheria ziwalindazo.
kuna sheria ziwalindazo.
11:09
And another thing I would say is that
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Na kitu chengine nisemacho ni kwamba
11:13
girls' voices and women's voices
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sauti za wasichana na wanawake
11:17
are beautiful, they are there,
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ni nzuri sana, na zipo,
11:20
but we cannot do this alone.
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lakini hatuwezi kufanya peke yetu.
11:23
Male advocates, they have to jump in,
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watetezi wa kiume, washirikiana,
11:26
to step in and work together.
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wajihusishe na tufanye kazi pamoja.
11:28
It's a collective work.
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ni kazi ya umoja.
11:31
What we need is what girls elsewhere need:
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Tunavyohitaji ni vile vihitajikavyo
na wasichana wa sehemu zote:
na wasichana wa sehemu zote:
11:33
good education, and above all,
not to marry whilst 11.
not to marry whilst 11.
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elimu nzuri, na juu ya yote,
ni kutoolewa wakiwa na miaka 11.
ni kutoolewa wakiwa na miaka 11.
11:42
And furthermore,
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Na zaidi ya hayo,
11:44
I know that together,
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Najua kwamba pamoja,
11:48
we can transform the legal,
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tunaweza kubadilisha mifumo ya kisheria,
11:51
the cultural and political framework
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kiutamaduni na kisiasa
11:55
that denies girls of their rights.
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inayozikanusha haki za wasichana.
11:59
I am standing here today
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Nasimama hapa leo
12:04
and declaring that we can
end child marriage in a generation.
end child marriage in a generation.
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na kutangaza kwamba tunaweza
kuisha ndoa za watoto katika kizazi kimoja.
kuisha ndoa za watoto katika kizazi kimoja.
12:12
This is the moment
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Sasa ni wakati
12:14
where a girl and a girl,
and millions of girls worldwide,
and millions of girls worldwide,
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ambapo msichana na msichana,
na millioni za wasichana duniani,
na millioni za wasichana duniani,
12:19
will be able to say,
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wataweza kusema,
12:21
"I will marry when I want."
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"Nitolewa ninapotaka."
12:25
(Applause)
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(Makofi)
12:35
Thank you. (Applause)
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Asante. (Makofi)
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Memory Banda - ActivistMemory Banda is a tireless leader for girls’ rights, in Malawi and around the world.
Why you should listen
Memory Banda is a tireless leader for girls' rights around the world. She is leading Malawi's fight to end child marriage through her work with Let Girls Lead and the Girl Empowerment Network of Malawi.
Only 18-years-old, Memory championed a succesful national campaign that culminated in landmark legislation that outlawed child marriage. Memory works with girl leaders to ensure that village chiefs ban child marriage, end sexual initiation practices, enable girls to finish school and live safe from violence in a country where more than half of girls are married as children.
Memory became an advocate for girls after her younger sister was forced into marriage at the age of 11. She is now a college student in Malawi.
Memory Banda | Speaker | TED.com