A blossomed seed of hope...

I never doubted I would do well...
Estiner Walusungu Katengeza

She might be known as the “zilibwino fame” (It is perfect) or perharps you know her as the “Sindikusiyani icon” ( I will not leave you). Much as all this is true of Estiner Walusungu Katengeza, there is more to her than just the angelic voice we hear and the irresistible music we fall in love with. Estiner is known not just as a musician but also a medical physicist and environmentalist and to some she is known simply as a lecturer.

Estiner is one of the young women in Malawi who is well known to many gospel music lovers. She has embraced her talent and has impacted many lives. For Estiner, talent was not enough to dwell on. She raced on combining education and talent in order to amount to something. The journey to her fame and accomplishments was never smooth as she had to climb some hills and cross some valleys before she could land on the plains and sow high. She grew up with her mother and father apart. As a child of school age, she was enrolled in primary school. By then she was living with her mother in the Northen region and kept rotating from one school to another of which Mzuzu demonstration and Mkombezi primary school in Rumphi are amongst them. In the late years of her primary education she had to move to Blantyre with her mother and she ended up being at Chilomoni Primary school where she sat for her national primary school exam as an external candidate. Even though this was challenging, Estiner made it to Zingwangwa secondary school in 2000.

She continued to live with her mother as a secondary school student until two years later when her mother’s financial challenges paved way for Estiner to join her father. Even though this presented a stable financial support for Estiner, it was of personal discomfort as her thoughts were on her mother’s well-being considering the struggles she was facing and life was just not the same basing on the fact that she was used and loved to live with her mother. However, she found comfort and relief in the letters her mother could send to her. They were letters of hope. “ No matter how bad things could be, mama always made it look okay and she made the future look so bright,” says Estiner as she look back to the seed of hope that has blossomed today. There were times Estiner struggled in school, as well as at her new home but one thing she believed in were the messages in her mother’s letters that pointed to the light towards the end of the tunnel.

“I knew that my future would be bright just because mama told me so, I never doubted a second that I would do well and i kept working hard…” emphasized Estiner.

With such a drive, at the end of four years of secondary school, Estiner made it to University of Malawi the Polytechnic to study Environmental Science and Technology where she opted to major in Physics despite people’s objections, referring it as the hardest subject. Amazingly the zilibwino fame graduated with a credit despite all odds.

Recalling her childhood dream, being a medical doctor is something she could talk about even though she had no idea of what that meant. This may be common with many of the girls in secondary schools today. You may not necessarily want to be a doctor but probably are dreaming of careers that you have no idea what it means simply because everybody is talking about it. Do not worry about it, just keep working hard at the stage you are.  Little Estiner was a champion in sciences,worked hard at every stage and as she grew to be a third year Poly Student, she got convinced science is a part of her and teaching Physics at a university would make her happy. She then worked hard to be a physics lecturer. She ended up being a part time lecturer at the Polytechnic after her graduation and later joined College of medicine as a lecturer as well before getting back to the Polytechnic as a full time lecturer.

Estiner holds a master of science in Medical Physics, A field quiet new and unpopular in Malawi. Looking at her career prospects, one would think Estiner is a risk taker to be bold enough pursuing a career that has no known employment prospects clear at home. To Estiner, the challenge she took on her career choice means a lot and she can foresee professional growth opportunities. She believes this is the risks and choices our secondary school girls need to follow suit. They should view their career choices like a market. Whereby when considering market, rare and exceptional products are always battled for and girls in secondary schools need to be so good and skilled in preparation for careers of their choice. Never allowing other voices telling them the career path they are choosing is not marketable and girlish or difficult. There is neither marketable nor girlish careers and no career is difficult if you have your heart on it. "Markets will always be there and with a perfect skill, buyers will battle to have you in your rare and scarce career." added Estiner.

Estiner do shine today in her career and talent through the music industry owing it all to God and her mother who instilled confidence in her steps up. She therefore encourages parents to give beyond financial resource support to their children’s education. Emphasizing that children need mental, spiritual and guidance to amount to something and they need to be told the future is bright in a way that they will see it.

“My mother planted a seed of hope in me making me believe I CAN! every parent can do the same and every child CAN!.” Says Estiner as she reflects and quotes Apostle Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 15:10

"But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me." I am what I am by the grace of God and yet I will not just leave it all to grace but I work and will continue to work hard through that very same grace and I pray all of HIS people will do the same.”

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 achievement : 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#

 Photo Credit : AMARU Photography in support of girls education

Visit :  www.amaruphotos.com