"Youth Alert! is helping thousands of girls and boys like Carol make positive choices, so that they can make their dreams come true."
When Carol Tambala became pregnant at the age of 16, she thought her dreams of becoming a nurse were over. Coming from a poor family in southern Malawi, she was constrained by gender norms and rigid cultural beliefs. So, on her parents’ instruction, she dropped out of school.
But Carol’s dreams didn’t subside. During her pregnancy, she spoke to nurses about how she could make them come true, but without an education, she had no hope. Sat at home, watching her friends carrying their books to school each morning, her heart was heavy.
For two years, Carol implored her parents to change their minds. But it wasn’t until they were listening to Youth Alert!, a Malawian radio show promoting the importance of making good health and life decisions, that they began to change their minds.
The presenters talked about the importance of returning to school after getting pregnant, interviewing girls who had managed to continue their studies as mothers and had achieved their goals. Their stories moved Carol’s parents so much they reconsidered their decision, and 18 year-old Carol is now back at school.
Operating since 2001, Youth Alert! has touched the lives of young people across Malawi. By providing free information and advice, it’s helping thousands of girls and boys like Carol make positive choices, so that they can make their dreams come true.
Provided by United States Agency for International Development
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