How one girl helped lead the fight against child marriage in Malawi

Editor's note: This story includes descriptions of disturbing experiences.

"I really need to step up."

Those are the life-changing words that ran through young Memory Banda's head when she was faced with the terrifying reality of child marriage at the age of 13.

Banda is from Malawi, where a staggering 50% of girls are married by age of 18 -- usually men two or three times their age. But she decided to take a stand, and ultimately helped end the practice for many girls in her community.

On the second day of Mashable's seventh-annual Social Good Summit in New York, Banda, now 18 years old, spoke on stage with Denise Dunning, founder and executive director of Rise Up. She shared details about her fearless journey to stand up for herself and the rights of other girls.

Banda described life for girls in Malawi as very difficult -- once a girl is born, immense expectations are thrust upon her.

"The first thing said about her is how beautiful she is, how beautiful she’s going to be," Banda said. "As she is growing up, she hears the very same echoes: 'One day I’ll be married and raise other children.'"

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

Banda described child marriage as Malawi's most "traumatic tradition. Around the age of 10 or 11, she said, when girls reach puberty, they're are forced to go to "initiation camps.

"At the camps, they learn a lot of other different things. They have to learn how to sexually please a man," she said. "A man paid by the community ... goes to the camp and rapes the girls."

Most of these girls marry immediately, or they become pregnant and drop out of school. But Banda said those who drop out of school really have only one option: marriage.

This harrowing reality, she explained, rips young girls of their childhood and innocence. When Banda saw friends and family members enter child marriage, she knew she needed to do something about it.

"Things changed around me when I saw child marriage happening in my own family -- my cousins, and sister and those people around me ... my peers in my class were being married off," she said. “When I saw that happening in my own family, that is when I really felt this thing of child marriage and the pain that girls have to go through."

She decided to "step out of the bigger shoe into my own little shoe," and set out to change the lives of Malawi's youth.

Banda joined the Girls Empowerment Network, and together with Rise Up and female leaders, she convinced 60 chiefs to pass bylaws that protect thousands of girls from child marriage in their communities.

"We told them we want education, we don’t want to get married when we are 11 years old," she said.

Her passion even led to a broader law banning child marriage in Malawi, which just passed in February, protecting 4 million girls.

Even at such a young age, Banda has already accomplished so much -- but she's not backing down any time soon.

"I would really like to see girls all over the world being educated. I would like to see girls being supported and given equal opportunities in life," she said.

"I hope that girls all over the world will be able to speak with one voice, stand up for our rights and achieve our dreams all together."

About Social Good Summit

The Social Good Summit is a two-day conference examining the impact of technology and new media on social good initiatives around the world. Held during U.N. Week on Sept. 18 and 19, the Social Good Summit unites a dynamic community of global leaders and grassroots activists to discuss solutions for the greatest challenges of our time. You can watch the event live at socialgoodsummit.com.

This year's summit is brought to you by Mashable, the United Nations Foundation, the United Nations Development Programme and the 92nd Street Y. For complete event details, visit https://sale-online.click/sgs%3C/u%3E%3C/a%3E.