What peace means to me and my tikwaniritse initiative

I did not come to understand peace through theory alone. I came to understand it through the lived experiences of children and adolescents in rural communities in Malawi.

I remember sitting with a young girl who had been forced into marriage and had dropped out of school. She spoke softly, not because she lacked ideas, but because the world around her had taught her that her voice did not matter. In that moment, I realized that peace is not merely the absence of war. Peace is the presence of protection. Peace is access to education. Peace is dignity. Peace is a child being allowed to imagine a future.

These encounters inspired me to found Tikwaniritse Teens Empowerment Initiative, a grassroots, youth-led organization working to empower adolescents and protect their rights. Our work focuses on ending child marriage, preventing gender-based violence, promoting mental health, advancing sexual and reproductive health education, and supporting access to quality education.

In my work, peace takes many forms. It is found in community dialogues where harmful norms are challenged. It is seen when boys and men learn that true strength lies in respect and equality. It is heard when a young person stands before their peers and says, “My voice matters.” Every training, school visit, and community engagement we conduct is an act of peacebuilding.

For me, peace is prevention. It is empowerment. It is systems that protect the vulnerable and amplify young voices. It is creating environments where children and adolescents are safe, heard, and supported to reach their full potential. Through Tikwaniritse Teens Empowerment Initiative, I have learned that when we invest in young people, peace moves from being an abstract concept to becoming a lived reality.