KarunaNews Story

In a white tent with a wooden fireplace in the middle, about two dozen African girls sat on mattresses and discussed sexuality, child marriage, teen pregnancy, gender bias, education, economic empowerment and the law. The hangout in rural northeastern Zimbabwe is a revival of Nhanga, the local term for “girls’ bedroom,” a space once used to prepare adolescent girls for marriage. Across rural Zimbabwe, girls are now reinventing the centuries-old practice as a peer-led movement to resist child marriage. “The new Nhanga is a cultural innovation dealing with modern problems,” said Nokutenda Magama, a programs officer with Rozaria Memorial Trust, a nonprofit that works to empower rural girls and women. The trust organizes gatherings by age group, from girls as young as five to women over 35, ensuring an age-appropriate curriculum and mentorship across generations. Many schools across Zimbabwe have adopted the model, which has spread to Zambia and Sierra Leone and reached African Union and United Nations forums.