MEMORY BANDA

Malawian Advocate for Girls and Civil Rights

Memory Banda is a tireless leader for girls’ rights around the world. She is leading Malawi’s fight to end child marriage through her work with Let Girls Lead and the Girl Empowerment Network of Malawi.

Only 19-years-old, Memory championed a successful national campaign that culminated in landmark legislation that outlawed child marriage. Memory works with girl leaders to ensure that village chiefs ban child marriage, end sexual initiation practices, enable girls to finish school and live safe from violence in a country where more than half of girls are married as children.

Memory became an advocate for girls after her younger sister was forced into marriage at the age of 11. She is now a college student in Malawi.