By A Correspondent – The Masvingo Women’s Rights Advocacy Group (MWRAG), in partnership with the Youth Empowerment and Skills Development Association (YESDA), through the Chilonga Adolescent Girls Ambassadors (AGA) under the Save the Chilonga Girls Movement, has launched a youth-led initiative to protect girls’ rights and challenge harmful cultural practices in Malilangwe and Chilonga.

At the heart of this intervention is the Chilonga Adolescent Girls Ambassadors (AGA)—a vibrant network of trained young leaders committed to safeguarding girls’ rights. These ambassadors monitor cultural practices, report potential cases of abuse, and lead advocacy efforts to end child marriage, align cultural norms with Zimbabwean law and international standards, and promote gender-sensitive practices. The initiative also strengthens engagement between young women and public officials to drive policy change.

Technology and peer networks have been instrumental in sustaining momentum. WhatsApp groups are used to mobilise at-risk girls and survivors of harmful practices, provide peer support, and connect them with local stakeholders to demand reforms to the Khomba cultural practice.

For generations, Khomba initiation rituals have placed girls at risk, limiting their access to education and exposing them to harmful practices. These traditions reinforced gender inequality and excluded women from socio-economic opportunities while undermining their health and rights. A lack of legal awareness and limited youth participation in decision-making left many girls vulnerable and voiceless.

“This project is changing that narrative. Through rights awareness campaigns, policy dialogues, and survivor-led mentorship, communities—especially women—are now able to come together, document their concerns, and engage public officials,” said an AGA member. Community members have acknowledged that while progress is visible, the Khomba community is large, and more actors are needed to ensure that everyone receives knowledge and information.

By embedding leadership and rights education into community life, the initiative is creating a lasting impact—protecting girls today and building a future where every girl in Chilonga can thrive free from harm, empowered to lead and shape her own destiny.