The Handshake That Changed Everything: How Trust Connected Mary to Support and a Brighter Future

Sitting under the shade of a mango tree in Masaka Village, in Blantyre, Malawi, Mary* reflects quietly on the circumstances that have shaped her life. Around her, the chatter of her youth club friends reminds her how far she has come. 

Mary dropped out of school before completing primary school, poverty closing off choices, a common reality in a district where only half of girls enrolled actually complete primary school.

Everything changed when she reconnected with her youth club. It was here she met Tiyanjane Banda, a trained peer volunteer who offered more than just a questionnaire. She offered a safe, compassionate space. Tiyanjane didn’t arrive to judge or direct. Instead, she sat beside Mary, beginning with the principles of confidentiality and consent, promising that their talk was a private "chat" intended only to support Mary's health and wellbeing.

A Conversation That Changes Perspectives

To guide their talk, Tiyanjane used a bespoke assessment tool developed to assess adolescent girls’ specific needs, which offers community volunteers and workers a clear referral path for care. While the tool is a technical breakthrough for Blantyre, and nationwide, for Mary, it was simply a way to see her own life more clearly. It acted as a mirror, helping her conduct a self-risk assessment across different parts of her world, from her education and mental health to her physical safety and HIV knowledge.

"It’s really about trust," Tiyanjane explains. "These girls need someone like them to see them and truly believe in their future".

Through this structured but gentle conversation, Mary felt empowered to break the silence on things she had kept hidden. For her, the process was a "game changer," giving her the clarity to acknowledge risks she may face and, for the first time, the confidence to seek help.

A "Handshake" to a Brighter Future

The assessment revealed that Mary needed medical care. In the past, she might have been one of the many girls in Blantyre whose needs went unmet due to the long distances to clinics or a lack of guidance. But Tiyanjane provided a standardized referral slip, a "handshake" to a broader system of support. This wasn't just a suggestion, it was a link to a District Service Directory that mapped out every available support point in the community.

At a local clinic, Mary discovered she was pregnant. There were 9,800 adolescent pregnancies in Blantyre in 2024 and in Malawi overall, 32 percent of girls aged 15 to 19 experience pregnancy.

But the system ensured Mary wasn't just a statistic. As the support is multisectoral, she wasn't just given medical care; she was linked to counseling and introduced to the national school re-admission policy, which protects her right to return to the classroom after delivery.

“No one decided for me,” Mary explains, her voice steady. “But Tiyanjane made sure I was not alone”.

(Below) Tiyanjane, a youth club member and peer mentor trained in using the assessment tool to identify peers in the community who require support and link them to appropriate services. Tiyanjane referred Mary for ANC and HIV testing.

A District-Wide Wave of Hope

Mary’s story is a single thread in a vast tapestry of transformation. In Blantyre, this peer-led approach has increased community trust. Between June and August 2025:

• 4,042 adolescent girls and young women were reached, with almost all of those assessed requiring support and referred for essential services. Blantyre district has at least 81,000 adolescent girls aged 15 to 19, so there’s significant need to expand these assessments. 

   

• Young women seeking support for HIV and AIDS quadrupled from 67 to 306, and those accessing family planning increased from 384 to 1,745.

   

• Reporting of gender-based violence (GBV) cases increased by more than 140 per cent from 539 to 1,304, reflecting the safety found in these new peer networks to break the silence. 

   

(Below) Bertha is a trained member of a mothers group, who supports adolescent girls with psychosocial first aid and counseling, and directs adolescent girls who are pregnant to appropriate ANC services. She is also a community distribution agent of family planning commodities.

Peter Mizedya, Blantyre’s District Youth Officer, notes that while long travel distances remain a challenge, the commitment of volunteers like Tiyanjane allows the district to "step in early".

Today, Mary is planning for her future while caring for her child, determined to return to school. 

Her journey proves that when a vulnerable adolescent is met with structured guidance, and the kind heart of a peer, they don't just survive, they reclaim the power to choose their own path.

*Name changed to protect her identity