Theresa Kachindamoto is a female chief who is being hailed as a hero after she annulled 850 child marriages and sent girls back to school as soon as she came to power.

Theresa is the youngest of 12 children descended from village chiefs in Malawi’s Monkey Bay, and she recently became the senior chief after spending 27 years as a secretary at a city college. Theresa never thought she would become chief because she had so many older siblings, lived in a different town, and had five of her own children to care for. However, her reputation for being “good with people” led to her surprise election, and her people even told her that she would have the job “whether I liked it or not,” she said.

Though child marriage is a culturally accepted practice in her area and is often done out of financial need, it was made illegal back in 2015. When she toured Monkey Bay, Theresa was disturbed to meet girls as young as 12 who had husbands and children.

“I told them: ‘Whether you like it or not, I want these marriages to be terminated,'” she said.

As she acted as chief over 900,000 people, Theresa annulled 850 child marriages and sent all of the girls to school. Malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world, and many parents feel that they have no choice but to marry off their girls because they can’t afford to feed them. When parents protested Theresa’s actions, however, she refused to back down. Realizing she couldn’t change the minds of the parents, Theresa changed the law instead and 50 sub-chiefs to sign an agreement to abolish early marriage and annul any existing unions in her area.

To show how serious she was, Theresa even fired four male chiefs in areas where the practice of child marriage was still occurring until they agreed to abide by the law, annul the marriages, and send the girls to school.

Theresa has received death threats over this, but she doesn’t mind as long as she is keeping her girls safe.

“I don’t care, I don’t mind. I’ve said whatever, we can talk, but these girls will go back to school,” she said.

Recently, Theresa hired a network of “secret mothers and secret fathers” in the villages to make sure parents aren’t pulling their daughters out of school. As for those who are still angry about her new law, Theresa does not care.

“I’m chief until I die,” she said with a laugh.

Find out more about this incredible woman in the video below.