Malawi’s goalkeeper Florence with safest hands and the warmest heart
|Florence Kumwenda represented Malawi at the Africa Women’s Cup in Arusha, Tanzania
Malawi is known as the “warm heart of Africa” for its climate but mainly for the kindness of its people. Florence Kumwenda and her team travelled more than 1000km to represent Malawi at the Africa Women’s Cup in Tanzania.
“We were afraid because all the teams were very young and we are all very grown up – I’m 39-years-old and I’m playing against someone who is 16! We were very nervous but little by little we came into the game.
“The first game we lost 8-2, second game we lost 5-2 – that means there was a change and the last game [of the first day] we won and we were so happy. But most of all we can here to have fun and we are here for the message.”
The message she is talking about is raising awareness of gender-based violence. Florence is pushing for change for women and girls in Malawi and across Africa.
“Malawi is the warm heart of Africa but as any country, we have many challenges. We have our cultural beliefs and most of them are harmful to women, young children and even elder people.”
Florence is speaking from personal experience, while she was still at school and 16-years-old she became pregnant and instead of experiencing the warm heart, she was met with shame.
Her parents “chased” her out of the home and when she tried to ask for help from other members of the community she was shunned. With no where to go, Florence turned to some friends, but they pressured her into things she didn’t want to do.
“I know I made a mistake, and I was ashamed too but that led me to have friends who shouldn’t have been my friends. I lost my personality.”
It has been 23 years since it happened, and Florence is now 39 years-old but she is still visibly upset as she retells the story.
With no where else to go she stayed with friends and gave birth to her child. Shortly after she was pressured into an abusive marriage with an older man.
“It didn’t last long because the man was abusing me, I stayed there for three years. The man wouldn’t support me. He was a drunk. He couldn’t take care of the home. I tried to get back to my parents to tell them what I was experiencing but I was denied the chance.”
When she returned to her friends, someone mentioned street football. Growing up Florence was a footballer and loved the game.
“It was a good decision I made on that day. I have learned so much. I am here today because of this programme. They have changed me, my mind set, and they tried to speak to my parents to show that I could do better even though I had made a mistake. I could become a good person.”
“My parents on that day – it was the happiest day for me because – wow, they allowed me in.”
Thanks to the input from the coaches at street football, their relationship began to rebuild, and Florence was able to go back to school while her parents looked after her son.
When she meets girls and women who have faced a similar situation, Florence is determined to give them the hope she had lost.
“I always encourage them and say that there is always a chance in life – you need to carry yourself up, don’t look yourself down.”
Florence explains there are many challenges facing women and girls in Malawi – from a young age, it’s the girls at home who do the chores around the house while boys are allowed to go to school.
“In some rural areas girls are not able to go to school. They say it’s not your job, you’re the one who is going to take care of your children, you will get married – someone will take care of you. That’s the culture that is killing our girls. You see these girls who are staying at home it increases the risk of violence because if you have nothing to do and nothing to show a man will take advantage of you because he will think you’re not capable of doing anything.”
Speaking about a project in Chikwawa – a district in the south of Malawi – Florence explained the closest school was 23km away which meant local children could only access primary school level education.
This she explained has led to higher rates of child marriage with girls as young as 13 getting married to a much older man.
“It means the future has ended there.”
Speaking to the girls in the community, Florence said more needs to be done to help change and challenge the practices, but funding shortages are making it impossible.
“It’s very important to talk about gender-based violence. If you teach one woman you will teach the whole world. If a woman or a girl goes to school, she will know what’s good and bad – she will know her rights. This awareness is very powerful.
“I see many girls and women around me who go through this – around my neighbourhood, if I go to the schools, if I go to the office, if I go to the rural areas what you hear about is violence.”
“We have men who what they know is drinking, they will not leave money at home for food. I am the example of that, my man would go out drinking and come back and ask ‘where is the food?’ but he didn’t leave a single penny to buy food. This would lead to a beating.”
“If this awareness reaches the rural areas, it will open women’s eyes. We are already ambassadors, but we need more – maybe if we collaborate with an international footballer like Tabitha Chawinga [International Malawian player who has recently signed for Paris Saint Germain] then people will hear that message.”
“But now I can say, I am a very happy woman. I am 39-years-old. My son is 23-years-old. He is a designer.”
He’s followed in his mother’s footsteps, off the football pitch, Florence is a dress designer and dreams one day of growing her own business.
“One day, maybe you’ll hear of this Malawian clothes designer, and it will be me.”
The Africa Women’s Cup took place in Arusha in Tanzania from 29-30th June 2024. Florence played for Malawi which is represented by Play Soccer Malawi.
The tournament is part of a two-year FIFA Foundation funded programme which is bringing together four African Homeless World Cup member countries – Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe – to raise awareness of gender-based violence and develop and implement a new curriculum to help protect vulnerable women.
Words & Images: Rebecca Corbett