18-07-2025
'I was sold into marriage for £7 aged 12 and by 13 I was a mother'
Tamara was born into a family that lived below the poverty line, like the majority of others in her rural farming community in Malawi. When both her parents died in quick succession, aged 13, she was sent to sleep on her grandmother's floor before she was sold into marriage for just £7
After losing both parents in rapid succession, a 13-year-old girl found herself sleeping on her grandmother's floor before being sold into marriage for a mere £7.
Tamara was born into extreme poverty, mirroring the harsh reality faced by most families in her remote agricultural village.
When both her mother and father passed away, Tamara moved in with her grandmother but this arrangement proved short-lived as she returned from school one day to learn of her devastating fate.
A stranger in his twenties, who had never met Tamara, handed over 15,000 Malawian kwacha - roughly $9 or £7 - to secure her as his bride.
Her grandmother had already traded the cash for maize to sustain the household, and the purchaser was eager for Tamara to abandon her education and relocate to his home, reports the Express.
At just 12, Tamara discovered she was carrying a child.
"She told me I had to get married," Tamara revealed to the BBC. "She had already received money from a man.
"Life was difficult because the man was older," Tamara explained. "He used to physically abuse me by biting me every time I did something wrong."
Following three months of torment, social services were alerted to her plight, prompting the man to flee and leaving Tamara to trek to her aunt's village.
Though Tamara resumed her schooling, she soon realised she had missed several menstrual cycles, forcing her to confront the reality of motherhood at just 12 years old.
By 13, Tamara was heavily pregnant, sleeping on the floor of her aunt's cramped dwelling whilst continuing her labour in the fields. In the end, Tamara delivered a healthy baby boy, Prince.
A modest Malawian charity based in Blantyre, known as People Serving Girls At Risk, funded a cyclist to transport her to the neighbourhood health centre during labour.
The charity also conducted routine visits with both her and her aunt. Fortunately, Tamara's delivery went smoothly, unlike many young brides who face complications, according to The World Health Organisation.
"Tamara is back home and doing well with her young son, her family are very happy about his arrival," says Caleb Ng'ombo, executive director at People Serving Girls At Risk.
"She has the support of the community and her aunt, but the real work starts now. It would be better for her to return to school but she also needs to support her child."
Tamara expressed her wish that Prince will complete his education. The teenage mother now assists at her aunt's produce stand, which generates roughly £39 monthly.
The stall sits just metres from their dwelling. Tamara contributes when possible whilst maintaining friendships with other young women in the settlement.
Research suggests one in five girls globally are wed before turning 18, according to campaign organisation Girls Not Brides. Whilst some nations have legislation prohibiting child marriage, enforcement often falls short, though Malawi is beginning to witness early signs of progress.
Child marriage has been outlawed in Malawi since 2017, yet it continues to be culturally accepted in rural communities such as Tamara's, home to approximately 85 per cent of Malawi's populace. Girls Not Brides reports that over 40 per cent of girls in the country are wed before they reach 18.
