The reward of perseverance

Gloria- Nothing should stop you

There is often that one girl in class whom everybody hates,she is often smart and leading in all academic endevours. From a tender age Gloria Masula happened to be that sharp girl eyed by the whole class especially boys.The 1991 November baby was born third in a family of four. She started her primary school at Bakhita Private school in Balaka as it is expected of every child to go to school. A few years later, Gloria's family moved to Liwonde where she finished her primary education at St Theresa  full primary school.She championed the top 10 of her class. This did not go well with most boys in the class. They bullied her, they gave her physical torture, they could beat her up. This was enough reason for Gloria to quit school. Who would want to wake up to such a life at such a young age? Well, regardless of all the hiccups, Gloria maintained her position and endured the boys' hilarious treatment. she would run her life every other school knock off  time.

Her perseverance saw Gloria being the only lady selected to a national secondary school. Graciously, it was St Mary's, an all girls' school. "What a relief!" she thought to herself. She knew the after school battles were over, she knew the boys were nowhere closer to offer her kicks. Gloria became comfortable and relieved. at the same time she felt the challenge of being the only girl making it to national secondary school. It was like all eyes of the community were on her. "What will happen there?" "Will she make it?" "is she well deserving?" " Will she come out with a certificate, will she meet some men and get pregnant?or perhaps become a child bride?" these were more likely gossiping questions around the township.To Gloria, these meant so much more, it was a great source of motivation for her to believe in achieving her goals and making it to university.She kept working hard. Somehow because she believed in hard work and to an extent ,she was to prove a point.

Four years went by so fast, Gloria had taken her Malawi School Certificate Examination and has passed with flying colors. " What next? " she wondered, sooner she realized that not even the sky is the limit, she pursued further and made it to Bunda College now The Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources(LUANAR). Upon making it to University,she became a role model to most of the girls she had left home. her community had a story of a girl to talk about. Mothers had a point of reference when they advise and encouraged their girls to stay focused in school. Now the gossip of the hated smart girl became a different story of hope and encouragement.To some of the boys that bullied her, it was a reflection time, it was a moment of admiration and motivation.

In 2013, Gloria graduated with a bachelor of science in Aquaculture and fisheries science from Bunda college now LUANAR. She then served with a number of organizations like Network for Youth Development (NfYD) www.nfydmw.org, UN Women, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security’s, School of Agriculture for Family Independence (SAFI) just to mention a few. Today, Gloria is a serving with Plan international focusing her work on youth economic empowerment as well as sustainable livelihoods alongside volunteering as a National Coordinator for the Youth to Youth Empowerment (Y2YE) formerly known as the World Bank Youth Network (WBYN), she is also an Individual sponsorship coordinator for Maphunziro265 www.maphunziro265.org 

I became a role model to my community

Throughout her life, Gloria has become passionate about youth leadership and that has led her to becoming the 2016 Commonwealth Youth Peace Malawi Ambassador, a 2016 Mentee for the African Women in Agriculture, Research and Development (AWARD). She is also a member of the African Youth Initiative on Climate Change (AYICC) and a member of Lilongwe Tea group.

Among other achievements, Gloria has successfully organized Ticheze Youth Forums, TEDx Lilongwe, Youth Speak Forum Malawi and Youth Development conversations, among other events.

Gloria believes that the power to changing communities and people's mindsets of our potential lies within us. She simply encourage other girls from communities holding negativity on their potential to simply never give up and never get defined by anybody's negative voice. "Keep pushing, keep achieving and live your dream, No one should stop you" says Gloria as she smiles with hope for the future.

NB : This profile is shared for motivational purposes, feel free to use it to motivate young women and girls who you know are still not aware of their potential. If you are looking for mentorship or need more details please contact the blog owner (alibewawo@gmail.com). young women achievers are also welcome to share their profiles and achievements: Are you one or do you know a young woman whose achievements and story will motivate and encourage girls to stay in school? send me an email and the story will be featured here.

#Girlsmustayinschoolsupporttheireducation#

Reaping her choice

Pilirani Khoza, one of the 16 brightest world young leader

Growing up in the rural village of Engucwini, in Mzimba, the northen part of Malawi, the inspiring young Pilirani khoza never imagined reaching heights beyond the Mzimba boundaries. "Its all about hardwork, commitment and dedication" says young Pilirani Khoza as she smiles full of memories of what used to be a dream being turned to reality. To those that knew Pilirani from her childhood days in Mzimba, they can never imagine the young inspiring woman she is today. She has travelled across the globe, launched and supports initiatives and can testify the power of education. Not only is Pilirani a remarkable founder of Bunda Female Students Association (BUFESO) an organization supporting needy university students at Lilongwe University of Agriculture (LUANAR) Bunda campus with tuition and upkeep needs but also a recent young leader of the European Development Days (EDD).

The passion, charisma and perseverance that Pilirani holds cannot be doubtful that she was selected as one of the 16 brightest young minds in international development representing the voice of youth and the future of development at the European Development Days 2016 in Brussels. Pilirani have had a chance to visit European institutions, meet influential EU policymakers, and network with other young people driving change around the world. Wondering how this could be, it has never been a smooth road for the young Engucwini princess. She has been through battles that have left scars in her life and at the same time passed through roads that have left marks of joy. As founder of BUFESO, Pilirani has been able to attract the support of a number of remarkable influential people within Malawi to support girls education. Of which includes the first lady madam Getrude Munthalika. All in all Pilirani began her journey hopelessly. Little did she know heaven will someday smile at her.

Growing up as a child, Pilirani lived with both parents. Her father was what she could never really be able to define. At a young age she lost fatherly support, love and care as death claimed him. Unfortunately, she only had 16 years to experience motherly love and care as she also followed her husband years later. One thing Pilirani got proud of is the gift of education that her parents never deprived her. Pilirani did her primary education at Engucwini primary school and later moved to kakule primary school in Lilongwe following her mother’s relocating after the death of her father. From Kakule primary school, Pilirani was selected to Chinsapo secondary school in the year 2005. Her mother was a jobless woman with little academic knowledge. Much as being selected to secondary is good news to many, it was a different experience for Pilirani. It was the beginning of great worries. She knew her mother could not manage getting her tuition, books, transport money let alone food for the day. Luckily, pilirani’s uncle took the responsibility to support her mother in small businesses to get Pilirani to school.

 In 2012, a dark cloud fell upon Pilirani’s life, She lost her mother, her pillar, the only person who had a room for her to stay.Her uncle lived far and the only closest person was her grandmother. She found consolation and hope that got shattered a few months later as her grandmother followed her mother and answered God’s call. Despite all the hardships she encountered, Pilirani never gave up on education. She pulled her socks higher and made it to University of Malawi, Bunda College now LUANAR.

Life became harder at college. Even though she was under government sponsorship, the allowance was just never enough to get her going for the whole year. There came a time when she was in third year that holidays began and she had nowhere to go for holidays. She stayed on at the university hostels for the whole holiday period, School resumed and she had nothing in her pocket, she could spend two week taking a shower with no soap and body lotion. “I have had to wait for the bathrooms to be empty so one sees me showering soap-less. I was just trying to save myself the embarrassment. It was shameful but I had no option.” She said.

An idea then crossed her mind. She never wanted to live such a life for good. She sought of ways of surviving. She projected her writing skills and through such writing skills, she managed to secure part time employment as media specialist whilst at the Bunda Campus. The main goal was to publicise the Bunda transition to Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resource (LUANAR). Pilirani’s duties involved writing articles and managing social media pages like facebook page for the university. Every penny earned was an investment to her education. She could buy books, academic materials and some other basic needs.

With all the challenges faced during her college days, She founded an organization called Bunda Female Students Organisation (BUFESO) in the year 2012, with a basic goal of working to support poor students by sourcing funds for their school fees and upkeep allowances. The organization has up to date supported 3 University students with School fees and a number of students with upkeep allowance.  Pilirani is now a Gender Policy Project-Assistant project Coordinator at LUANAR. Her message to young girls is that, education is a weapon to carry at all times. “ Nothing can stop you from attaining education, a leap of faith and determination will take you there. Above all seek God and all shall be added onto thee We all pass through struggles in life. In such moments, the choices we make shape us.” concludes Pilirani whose life has been transformed greatly as a result of education.

NB : This profile is shared for motivational purposes, feel free to use it to motivate young women and girls who you know are still not aware of their potential. If you are looking for mentorship or need more details please contact the blog owner (alibewawo@gmail.com). young women achievers are also welcome to share their profiles and achievements: Are you one or do you know a young woman whose achievements and story will motivate and encourage girls to stay in school? send me an email and the story will be featured here.

#Girlsmustayinschoolsupporttheireducation#

Navigating the waters, creating Survival Instincts

Have a survival instinct, navigate the waters- Cathy

Her childhood bears alot of commonality with the famous Chimamamanda  Adiche. However, she is not a story teller,she is not a writer,she is not Nigerian but she is an inspiration, she has pursued education, she has kept dreaming and she is a role model to many. Just like Chimamanda, Catherine Mloza Banda, grew up under the roof of an academician, her father was a university lecturer. It is obvious that books were closer to her,but it was not all about books and being a daughter to an academician that mattered to her. There is more to Cathy.Growing up, she had a very happy childhood.

At a young age, Cathy began her primary school at Walani private primary school. Her father was a lecturer at the univeristy of Malawi, Bunda College of Agriculture the now Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR). Her mother was a Bunda student before marrying her father, so both her parents had pursued careers in Agriculture.Whilst in primary school, the stable childhood of Cathy got abit shaky faced with divorce of her parents. It resulted in Cathy's transfering from one primary school to another before embarking to Providence Girls' secondary school. Despite everything that came her way, Cathy still managed to be a top student. Even though, she never thought she was as smart as her siblings. If you sit with her and compliment her brains, Cathy will definately tell you differently. "I am not as smart as you think cause my siblings are, but one thing I know am a hardworker." she would say with a smile.

After graduating from Providence- Secondary school in 2004, She held on the belief that

Cathy Mloza Banda-I loved communication

she could do anything. she never wanted to close herself in a box with limitations of what fits her.This led her to the thought of being many things. She admits, it was not easy to make a career choice. 

With her belief of being a hardworker, Cathy Grew up wanting to be many thing, a journalist, and Architect, an engineer , you name it. Well, may be this tells that she was never clear on what she wanted to be. For sure she ain't the only one who sailed in that boat, others still are up to date especially those in secondary and primary schools. After completing her form 4 (O level), her father a profesor at Bunda somehow influenced her to join Bunda and begin a career in Agriculture. She then listed all her university course choices for Bunda. She made it to Bunda under the crop science department. Her first year expereinces were not so easy. She felt being in a wrong place, she thought she would be better as a communication person. It was more of a time she got to get her identity out of the so many things she wanted to become. She thought of giving up her father's influence into the agricultural career path and try to trade into media for development at Chancellor college. This was all just a thought that she could transfer to Chancellor College but it never happened.

Whilst in her second year of college at Bunda, she was till struggling with her career choice and was almost convinced she was in a wrong field.Math was not her thing, and to her science had little creativity as compared to arts. As time past, she learnt to accept what she was in and tried all she could to embrace her creaivity into the crop science she was studying.Time  came when Agriculture extension students were taking their educational tour to the Ministry of Agriculture's Department of Agriculture and Extension Services (DAES). Cathy never heard of DAES before and it sounded interesting to her that she one day asked if she could one day join the tour just to have an experience of what happens there and she was allowed.

Upon visiting DAES, she got motivated with their work and the thought of building a career in communication began to spur into her again.Time came for students to do internships, she was assigned to go intern at Chitedze research station as a crop science major. whilst those majoring in Agriculture extension were to go to DAES. Whilst she was getting set for Chitedze. one of the lecturers at Bunda approached her to go to DAES for her attachment. She was more than happy, it didnt even take her a second to say yes, the next thing she had already reported at DAES and there she was anchoring a radio program on Cotton, her first ever radio encounter. It was not a perfectly presented program but she was proud that she managed it. The following week, she was in working on a magazine program, it was all fun and interesting for Cathy.Internships came to an end and school commenced, she still held her experiences in communication valuable. As years passed by, she became a crop science graduate with interest in communication.

She was now out of university and was job hunting. It was never easy, her wish was to get a job in communication with a Bsc in Crop Science. She later got an offer as a Tobacco holder at Auction Holdings, one of Malawi's leading tobacco company's. She actually thanked God for the offer considering the challenges in securing a job. it was not a communications job but still she was in for it. As she got ready to report to her new work place. she was faced with transport constraints that got her treporting later than the stipulated time.Upon arrival, she found out that things were not as direct as she had thought. The company then asked her to wait for sometime. In her waiting time, she got a call from one of her uncles who asked her to visit him. She made time to see him and that was the begining of her dream. Her uncle told her of an opening at the Farmers union of Malawi (FUM), She applied and became the communication specialist at Farmers union where she focused her work on agriculture knowledge management.

After sometime, Cathy went on to pursue furthur education. She enrolled for a masters in Crop science at Bunda  under a scholarship.  Upon submitting her proposal to the crop science department, it got rejected. It was then refered to the department of agriculture extension as it was more related to extension.It got her worried. She thought she would loose her sponsorship as it was specific for crop science. By the grace of God, this compromised nothing, instead, it just opened up opportunities to her dream.As she got closer to finishing her studies, she got an offer at Farm radio to be a part of them as an agricultural value chain officer. She now works with Farm radio and has been exposed greatly to the media world. She is glad to be applying communication for advancement of agriculture. She smiles everyday living her dream.

Asking Cathy what she has to say to Malawian girls she was quoted saying

 "To girls who feel like the world is full of impossibilities, life has delt me a hand and it is up to you to make a decision either to have your best days behind you or infront of you.Always remember that God has a plan not to harm us but to prosper us. so have survival instincts,.Navigate the waters regardless of what is around you and what life has to offer." 

Reflecting on Cathy's life, there are so many girls out there who might be sharing her experiences, of couse not exactly as Cathy's but somehow you may relate your experiences to hers and may reach a point of wishing you were somebody else, or may be just like that lady next door, but being you is what God can best use to help you define who you are. Challenges in life are inevitable, Cathy was faced with family issues, her parents divorced when she was young, we may all agree that in such circumstances it ain't easy to step out of the shadow but her remarkable value on hard work helped her get to live her dream. 

NB : This profile is shared for motivational purposes, feel free to use it to motivate young women and girls who you know are still not aware of their potential. If you are looking for mentorship or need more details please contact the blog owner (alibewawo@gmail.com). young women achievers are also welcome to share their profiles and achievements: Are you one or do you know a young woman whose achievements and story will motivate and encourage girls to stay in school? send me an email and the story will be featured here.

#Girlsmustayinschoolsupporttheireducation#

A small package with big contents

The journey was unclear from the start

It is often said that Big things come in small packages. This phrase has been such a confusing one to many.Regardless of the confusion,there is something that the Life of Tendai Katsonga can help us understand the phrase. Tendai Laura Katsonga Munemo  is a vibrant 23 years old  young woman based in Lilongwe. She happens to be the only child of her parents. To those that have met Tendai, she is one fine woman with a golden smile. A smile that will motivate you to get talking to her. Well, there is more to Tendai than just a smile. Tendai is an active and hard working young lady who never knew how much she could be untill she lived it. From a young age, Tendai did primary education in multiple schools. She ended up finishing her secondary ducation at Mary Mount Girls secondary school. A school that is well known to most Malawians.

She never thought of herself as an art student someday. She had alot of dreams for college. Perharps studying science or something more than language. To her surprise, The university of Malawi, Chancellor College enrolled her for a Bachelor of Arts Humanities. There began the unclear journey for Tendai who opted to major in english literature. Pretty sure limiting herself to become a secondary school teacher some day. She just never knew how much one could do with such a major in the Malawian context.

As time passed by, Tendai enjoyed her studies and almost forgot what the future could entell for her. she deeply got emmersed in the literature that she started living literature without knowing it. She began to take up leadership roles in college. She could handle anything from finances to editing through her involvement with Chancellor College Students Organisation (CSO) and Chanco Telescope Magazine  where she served as a treasure and an editor respectively. Later on she stood out as a Secretary for Students in Action (SIA) at the Chancellor College. To all these tasks, Tendai gave it her all. she had applied her literature skills without noticing as her focus was to make a difference and that is what kept her in the realms. Through working with SIA She managed to get 50  school drop out girls of Zomba back in schools.  

She noted a number of things around her that needed to change. She knew she could be the change. "But how can I really be of substance?" she thought on her own untill when she realised that to go a mile, you can always decide to start alone but to go miles, you need more buddies with you and that is when Tendai launched her journey alongside other passionate team members to mentor and groom young writters. It all started as a student group and she was the executive secretary. From there she co-chaired a Non-Governmental Organizations Coalition on Children Rights and that was the begining of her self identity. she got to realise how associated she was with development issues, she figured out how children rights mattered and that she could be more than just a writter, a mentor and a student.

Well, University days were over for Tendai. It was time to go and be in the industry. Still trying to figure out how she could apply her developmental passion, she entered as a Communication For Development Troupe Member for CRECCOM through Radio Acting for Education Development Centre under their Tikwere Program. Later she found an opportunity to serve the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) as Progammes Officer on Internship basis. While working at CCJP she contributed to the reduction of reported cases of Gender Based violence, through frequent and close monitoring of CCJP PEACE (Promotion of Equality and Access to Justice)Project. This internship exposed Tendai to a child abuse case. With her passion and commitment to protecting children's rights, She Successfully intervened in 13 cases of Child Abuse in Dedza District.

Tendai Continued to pursue her passion and she craved to understand the national and public approach on issues of gender and child rights.In her capacity she managed to secure an internship with the ministry of gender where she was involved in their Social Cash transfer programme. This internship led Tendai to her first professional position with Plan Malawi as a Community Development Coordinator responsible for the Child Protection program in the district of Kasungu . After which she was then moved to the position of Youth Led Advocacy Coordinator based in Lilongwe. 

Nothing should limit your passion- Tendai Katsonga

Currently, Tendai is working with Save the Children as a Youth in Action (YIA) Livelihoods Coordinator. Tendai is responsible for providing technical and advisory support to the projects in the Child Poverty thematic sector as well as to Humanitarian projects. Tendai’s immediate focus is the Youth In Action project– specifically the coordination of the implementation of the action phase. Asking her today if she ever thought she would be working on issues she value the most. She definately would say no " You know with my major in english literature, I was so much limiting myself, the sky seemed cloudy at times untill I discovered my passion and began living it even without noticing. Today the sky is clear and I always trust God to make a way to everyone over their passion regardless of their college major." Today there are so many of us young people limiting ourselves in a shell due to some other factors . Tendai sets a very good example that we can live beyond our college major. we can hold on to our passions, we can start the journey without a clear direction, find a sense of identity along the way. Unity is key and pursuits of discoveries is vital. " we are all packages small, but wraping big things!"

NB : This profile is shared for motivational purposes, feel free to use it to motivate young women and girls who you know are still not aware of their potential. If you are looking for mentorship or need more details please contact the blog owner (alibewawo@gmail.com). young women achievers are also welcome to share their profiles and achievements:Are you one or do you know a young woman whose achievements and story will motivate and encourage girls to stay in school? send me an email and the story will be featured here.

#Girlsmustayinschoolsupporttheireducation#