Memory Banda TED Talks Against Child Marriage & Malawi's Sexual Initiation Camps

Memory Banda TED Talks Against Child Marriage & Malawi’s Sexual Initiation Camps

Watching several TED Talks yesterday, the subject of Malawi’s child brides surfaced again in the passionate TED Woman2015 talk given by Malawi’s Memory Banda. Memory became an organizer in support of the new law against child marriage, and she also introduced me to the topic of ‘initiation camps’. Banda’s sister, who has three children and two failed marriages at age 16, was sent to an ‘initiation camp’ at age 11.

Watch more TEDWoman 2015 presentations.

Afghan Rapper Sonita Alizadeh Fights Against Child Brides From Wasatch Academy Utah

Afghan Rapper Sonita Alizadeh Fights Against Child Brides From Wasatch Academy Utah

Sonita Alizadeh is a young Afghan woman who had the audacity to resist being married off at age 15. Alizadeh’s family was forced to move to Iran when she was eight years old. As an undocumented Afghan, she was not entitled to be educated in Iran, leaving her to work as a janitor at a charity that supported Afghan children in her situation. We tell her incredible story in Sensual Rebel, but Sonita’s famous rap must be front page news.

Sonita … brides for sale