“SURVIVING GENDER BASED VIOLENCE: THE STORY OF TIONGE MUWISA”
By Noel Chatepa
“After I had my third child, I was diagnosed with cervical cancer and my husband started abusing me verbally and physically saying that I am of no more use to him as I can no longer bear him children, during this time my husband and his family also took away my children”, says Tionge Muwisa (35) who is a survivor of Gender Based Violence (GBV).
She hails from Mwandambo Village, Traditional Authority Mwakaboko in Karonga and is one of the few lucky women who have survived GBV.
Her story changed in 2023 when she was identified by the Gender-Based Violence, Sexual and Reproductive Health rights project as someone who is experiencing GBV.
The project through the mobile courts’ intervention facilitated the handling and ruling of her case by a magistrate.
After the ruling, she was then enrolled in a vocational skills training program in the Gender-Based Violence, Sexual and Reproductive Health rights project and after successful training in tailoring, she was also assisted with a sewing machine and began her journey to independence.
“I am able to support myself through my tailoring business, which makes me feel at ease right now. When my ex-husband and I were divorcing, he left me with no means of support, and I was filled with sadness.
However, thanks to this project, I have found independence, and I encourage all the women who are suffering in silence to come out and report GBV if they are experiencing it,” says Tionge. She says that in order to improve her tailoring business, she has enrolled herself in designing lessons and that she intends to build a house in the future.
With financial support from the NCA-DCA country program through the Episcopal Conference of Malawi, the Karonga Diocese Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace is implementing the Gender-Based Violence, Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights project.