The organization’s Program Officer, Symon Thipa, has told Zodiak Online on Sunday that 1, 500 child marriages were registered in six villages where the organization is implementing its activities aimed at ending child marriages.

Thipa said the organization is working with local leaders to ensure children that are still in marriages should be withdrawn and readmitted to schools.

“We introduced goat pass-on project and vocation skills such as tailoring to empower households whose children were withdrawn from child marriages, so that they can support educational needs for their children,” he said.

He added that the initiative follows community dialogue sessions which revealed that poverty and child marriages are some of the challenges fueling the vice in the area.

This was disclosed at Nazombe Primary School ground in Phalombe where the organization organized a sensitization meeting on the evils of child marriages and harmful cultural practices.

On her part, Senior chief Nazombe challenged chiefs under her jurisdiction to enforce by-laws which were formulated to protect the girl child.

"There is need for collective efforts to deal with challenges affecting girl child in pursuit of quality education," said Nazombe.

Ufulu Wathu Community Based organization is implementing a five-year project aimed at ending child marriages and harmful cultural practices with financial support from Firelight foundation.