Young Actress Shines a Light on Child Marriage Through Pavent Storytelling

The film "Nawi," featuring 15-year-old actress Michelle Lemuya Ikeny, explores the painful reality of child marriage through a powerful narrative drawn from the actress's own experiences in Turkana, Kenya. Despite facing potential backlash, Ikeny hopes the film fosters dialogue and awareness, while statistics highlight the pressing need for continued action against this global issue.

Michelle Lemuya Ikeny, a 15-year-old actress from northwestern Kenya, is on a mission to spark conversations about child marriage through her role in the film "Nawi." The movie tells the story of Nawi, a 13-year-old girl who defies her father's decision to marry her off to an older man for a dowry. Set in Turkana county, region where the UN estimates one in four girls are married before the age of 18, this coming-of-age tale is not just cinematic storytelling but a reflection of harsh realities many young girls face.

"I want the movie to spark conversations about this topic, because it's really not something people want to talk about," Lemuya shares, echoing the sentiments of many in her community who view the subject as taboo. The film is based on the personal experiences of Milcah Cherotich, a local writer whose childhood memories influenced the narrative, as she witnessed friends being forced into marriages at a young age.

Lemuya's performance as Nawi, who fights to escape a predetermined life, earned her an Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Promising Actor. Despite the recognition, the young actress remains grounded, not wanting the experience to alter her personality.

The film, directed by Toby Schmutzler and Apuu Mourrine, poignantly highlights the normalized child marriages present in the region. In one scene, boys mock a classmate for missing exams, insinuating she is busy with early motherhood—a stark reflection of societal attitudes.

While the 2014 Marriage Act sets a minimum age of 18 for marriage in Kenya, enforcement remains a challenge. Cherotich's own sister was married at 14, a traumatic experience she seeks to address through "Nawi." The film has garnered attention at international screenings and was selected as Kenya's Oscars submission, though it did not make last week’s shortlist.

Apuu Mourrine, another director, has conducted free screenings of the film in vulnerable areas, including refugee camps. The initial response has been hopeful as the young audiences engage with the subject matter, prompting plans to reach the older generations in rural villages.

As they work to spread the film’s message, the team remains focused on ending child marriage as part of a broader initiative aligned with the UN's sustainable development goals. Despite progress being slow, particularly in certain regions of Africa, the vision of a better future for girls like Nawi motivates the ongoing dialogues inspired by the film.

In Lemuya's words, "When you watch the movie, try to put yourself in the shoes of Nawi... When somebody comes and takes dreams away - it's the worst feeling ever."