Neno Shifters, Where Are They Now?
When we first met Neno Shifters in 2022, they were a group of 15 secondary school and out-of-school youths based in rural Neno. Neno was a district with high rates of child marriage (49 in 2022), which was a prevailing norm disproportionately affecting young girls and their right to education.
“INITIALLY, I BELIEVED THAT MARRIAGE WOULD SERVE AS MY PATHWAY TO ESCAPE FROM MY BURDENS. THE SHIFTERS ENLIGHTENED ME ABOUT THE POTENTIAL DIFFICULTIES I COULD ENCOUNTER IN MARRIAGE, PROMPTING MY DECISION TO RETURN TO SCHOOL”
– A GIRL FROM DONDA VILLAGE
Fast forward to today and Neno Shifters have transitioned from an informal and loose association of young people to a registered organisation with a new name, NeSO (Neno Shifters Organisation) - oh and they helped bring down child marriage in Donda village from 10 in 2023 to 0 in 2025. As Watson, the Executive Director of NeSO told us, “We can also see a lot of people reporting about such cases since our campaign…people knowing where to report (and) accessing information about the harmful effects of early marriage. We have made a lot of changes in our communities”.
SHIFT as the Spark and the Sustainer
SHIFT didn’t just inspire a campaign; it incubated a transformation. What began with basic training in problem framing, community engagement and mobilisation under the SHIFT pilot program in 2022 became the foundation for something far more ambitious: an institution. One that is now legally structured, democratically run, and fiscally accountable.
NeSO's journey is not just symbolic of youth agency; it's a powerful, living model of what long-term changemaking looks like when young people are genuinely trusted. Their evolution beautifully embodies all seven pillars of localisation
FUNDING: Once reactive and informal in handling money, NeSO now operates with structured financial protocols, procurement oversight, and documented audits. As Watson put it, “Before, once we received some funds, we just used them the way we wanted… now funds can’t be used without authorisation (from the group).”
PARTICIPATION: Participation is woven into the very structure of NeSO. Leadership roles, once assigned informally based on proximity, are now determined through structured selection based on merit and commitment. Youth are not just included; they are central.
CAPACITY: Equipped with project management and leadership skills gained through SHIFT, they have designed and led high-impact interventions. This includes organising sports and music events for awareness, providing material support to underprivileged students, and facilitating dialogue sessions on girls' education.
COORDINATION: NeSO members have become expert navigators in decision-making spaces. They are regularly called upon for FM radio interviews and district-level consultations to represent the youth voice effectively.
VISIBILITY: Their journey has taken them from a little-known group to a recognised district-level reference point. Just last month, their activities were covered by a newspaper with one of the largest readership in Malawi.
INFLUENCE: Perhaps the most compelling indicator of their impact is the tangible change in child marriage rates in Donda, their primary focus area. The rate dropped from 3 in 10 children in 2021 to zero in 2025. This success stems not just from law enforcement, but from cultural, educational, and civic engagement rooted in youth-led, community-trusted mobilisation.
Sustainability Beyond the Donor Dollar
NeSO’s strength extends beyond their current projects to a robust resilience plan. When asked about operating without external funding, Watson's response is confident: "We’d leverage local partnerships. We’d engage volunteer networks. We’d keep going.” They have integrated practices like celebrating small wins, securing local sponsorships (even from district hospital staff), and fostering entrepreneurial ventures within their team, such as tree-planting and small business efforts. These have become integral to their operations.
The internal transformation among members has also been profound. Watson reflects, “We changed not just the community, but ourselves… We’ve become more business-minded, more proactive, more accountable.”
