Malawian DJ Teaches HIV Awareness and Self-Respect

Population Services International/Malawi (PSI/Malawi) launched the ‘Real Man / Real Woman’ Delayed Sexual Debut Campaign in September 2005. The goal of the campaign is to change the behavior of Malawi’s youth by encouraging them to postpone their first sexual encounter until they are ready both mentally and physically. The campaign is based on research from eight African countries, including Malawi, which showed that many young people in Africa view sexual intercourse as a ‘rite of passage’ from childhood to adulthood, i.e., wanting to have sexual intercourse in order to prove they are ‘Real Men’ or ‘Real Women’.

PSI’s Real Man/Real Woman campaign, funded by USAID/Malawi, focuses on changing the perception of attaining adulthood through becoming sexually active and replacing it with Responsibility, Respect and Attention to Achieving Future Goals.

“My name is Carol Maziya. I am 19 years old and one of six children raised by my single mother in Blantyre. Throughout my childhood, my mother struggled to put enough food on the table, send us to school, and keep us healthy. For a long time, I wanted to show her how much I appreciate the sacrifices she made for us. I knew that the only way I could do that was by studying hard and being a daughter she could truly by proud of.

“In 1999, I was selected to attend Njamba Secondary School in Blantyre. While in secondary school, I faced a lot of challenges. Some of the older boys were always asking me to be their girlfriend. After class, they would follow me home teasing me about not having a boyfriend. I would walk on the other side of the road just to avoid them. Soon, I got a reputation for being rude and a tattletale. Some of my classmates even spread rumors that if a boy even approached me then I would rush home and tell my mother. I was an outcast at school.

“One day a classmate told me she had a boyfriend and asked if I had one. I told her I didn’t want a boyfriend. I was focusing on my future and boyfriends only want one thing….. sex. I was shocked when she said, “Carol, you are a very strange girl”. I was confused; I couldn’t believe she thought I was weird by not having a boyfriend. Why should I compromise my values to ‘fit in’ with others? Waiting was my decision. My education was my number one priority.

“While at secondary school, I listened to the radio a lot and the majority of the DJs were male. I decided I wanted to become a DJ, but my classmates said “journalism is only for men.” But I knew journalism was in my blood. I stood my ground and attended the Malawi Institute of Journalism, graduating in 2005. My first job out of school was as a part-time DJ with MIJ FM, one of Malawi’s premier private radio stations. Being on air was such a thrill. My dreams had come true. This is exactly what I wanted to be: a strong and independent young woman, a role model for other Malawian young women.

“After eleven months with MIJ FM, I joined PSI/Malawi as a Producer and DJ of the most popular youth radio show in Malawi, Youth Alert! Mix. Now, I’m on air three times a week on Malawi’s two state radio stations, MBC 1 and MBC 2. I get to talk to youth all over the country about reproductive health and life skills and encourage them to adopt safe sexual behaviors.

“When I look back on those difficult days at secondary school, I wonder what my friends are doing now. I sincerely hope they have succeeded in their chosen professions. I know I have. By concentrating on my future, respecting myself and being responsible, I have achieved my goals and consider myself a ‘Real Woman’.

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