A dream deferred, not denied: Mwayiwawo's journey back to school

When Mwayiwawo Fostala from Langwani village, T/A Chimutu in Lilongwe, found out she was pregnant in 2024, she was 17 and in Form 3. Neighbours and community members had an easy answer: marry her off. 

Her parents had a different idea. 

They chose to stand by their daughter — and her unborn child — and give her the chance to finish school.

Today, at 19, Mwayiwawo is back in Form 3 for the 2026–2027 academic year. She's also a regular at the Nyemba Children's Corner, a safe space where children and young adults learn about their rights, build life skills, and get mentorship and emotional support.

A place to belong

For Mwayiwawo, the Children's Corner became more than some place to pass the time. It gave her guidance for navigating life as a young mother, and reassurance that her circumstances didn't have to define her. 

That support rippled outward. Her mother, Mainess, and Mr. Luka, the Corner's matron, worked together to keep her place at school open until she was ready to return.

"I told her she wasn't alone, and that becoming a young mother didn't mean giving up on her dreams," says Mr. Luka. "I shared stories of women who'd faced the same thing and still built the careers they wanted — I wanted her to see herself in that future."

Looking ahead

Now, as a new school year begins, Mwayiwawo is focused — more determined than ever to reach the goals she set for herself.

Her story is a small but powerful example of what's possible when families and community spaces support girls. Over its three years, UNICEF supporters from Sweden have helped vulnerable girls like Mwayiwawo to access safe spaces, mentors, and to receive the practical support that keeps them in school.

Mwayiwawo has her sights set on medical school. And she's certain of one thing:

"I am a girl, and I know I can do it too!"