The country has one of the world’s highest death rates from the disease but a campaign led by young mothers is ensuring girls have access to the HPV vaccine
At just 21, Jessie Mzemba is a foot soldier in Malawi’s battle against vaccine hesitancy and cervical cancer. Every day, she knocks on the doors of girls aged nine to 18 living in the rural, hard-to-reach areas outside Malawi’s capital, Lilongwe. Her goal is to promote the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine and offer reliable health information.
“I wish there was someone like me when I was their age. Someone I could ask questions and talk to about my health,” she says. “When I was diagnosed with HIV at 15, I went into complete denial. I had no one to talk to, as my parents died long ago.”
