The air at the rice and maize mill hangs thick with the scent of dust and grain, but Sabina Kumwenda’s neatly plaited natural hair, her bright pink patterned top and a traditional wrapper attire are outstanding.
But the cheerfulness ends there. With the grind of the machinery as her backdrop, Sabina is ready to recount a devastatingly painful chapter from her life, a struggle now deeply intertwined with protecting the mental well-being of her boyfriend, Cosmas Masoadzinja.
In 2023, while both were in Form three at a nearby Community Day Secondary School, Cosmas impregnated Sabina. This angered her parents, but they eventually took the responsibility to support her. Cosmas also offered emotional support, though he admitted to feeling unwelcome by Sabina’s family.
Four months into the pregnancy, Sabina told Cosmas she had a miscarriage. But he later discovered that she secretly had unsafe abortion. Sabina consumed a mixture of washing detergent and Aloe vera to terminate the pregnancy, a revelation that left him devastated.
Sabina revealed that after taking the mixture, she bled heavily and was rushed to Nkhotakota District Hospital where she received post-abortion care.
“It was a painful experience and I thought I would die. After the abortion, our relationship collapsed. Things were never the same. This experience left a scar on both of us,” she said.
While Sabina wrestled with fear, shame and the aftermath of the unsafe abortion, Cosmas faced his own silent struggle of carrying the emotional weight alone while being judged by the community around him.
“People mocked me. They said because my girlfriend had an abortion, I would suffer from an incurable disease or even die if I had sex with her. This made me feel like I had done something wrong, even though I was not the one who decided to terminate the pregnancy. It destroyed my confidence,” he recalled.
For close to a year, the two were not in talking until early 2025 when Cosmas visited Sabina to check on her recovery. They say they are now just friends.
Malawi’s Penal Code (Cap 7:01) criminalizes abortion except when a woman’s life is in danger. Sections 149,150 and 151 impose penalties ranging from three to fourteen years in prison for those involved, yet despite these strict laws, unsafe abortions remain widespread across the country.
Kasungu District Hospital Youth-Friendly Health Services Coordinator, Flora Namangale acknowledges the gap affecting young men directly.
“In post abortion care, girls receive support and counselling. Boys? Not at all. Even when they share responsibility, we assume they will be fine. We must redesign services to invite young men for counselling and help them to process emotions,” she recommends.
According to Ipas Malawi, an international organization that works to increase access to safe abortion and contraception, unsafe abortion accounts for about 17-18% of maternal deaths in Malawi, as reported in its 2023 publication titled : Malawi: Unsafe Abortion and Maternal Health.
Director of Youth at Nkhotakota District Council, Abbason Mwale, echoed this view, pointing to the cultural and institutional dimensions of the problem.
“People think a boy must endure, be strong and move on, but young men are often depressed, isolated and confused. Nobody checks on them, but inclusive Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) services are very necessary,” he said.
According to the 2024 Malawi Demographic and Health Survey (MDHS), 32% of girls aged 15-19 have been pregnant, with rural rates rising to 34%, while adolescent fertility remains high and unsafe abortion continues to drive maternal mortality.
Project Coordinator for Community Voices for Legal reforms, Yamikani Mwawa, stressed the importance of deliberate, inclusive programming on SRHR services.
“Stereotypes and religious restrictions limit open discussion, and the issue is underreported. We must rebuild awareness, engage men as allies, and include the formulation of male-friendly SRHR policies,” she said.
Programme Manager for Centre for Solutions Journalism, Penelope Kamanga, highlighted the real consequences of ignoring young men, noting the problem can reach extreme levels if not addressed timely.
“Men often suffer in silence, sometimes developing suicidal thoughts because they have no one to talk to or comfort them. There is need to advocate for family planning methods in all sectors, as this will reduce cases of teenage pregnancy and unsafe abortions,” she said.
A January 2025 analysis by DW Link, an international media organization affiliated with Germany’s Deutsche Welle Network, reported that Malawi recorded over 52,000 abortion cases in 2024, twice the number registered in 2021. The country’s Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) stands at 381 deaths per 100,000 live births, with 18% of deaths attributed to unsafe abortions.
Cosmas and Sabina’s experiences reveal that unsafe abortion affects more than just women. While Sabina faced health risks, Cosmas carried the silent trauma of shame and stigma. Their story underscores the need for inclusive support and counselling for both young men and women so that no one has to suffer in silence.
