A busy paved road runs through the village center of Chimwaza, Malawi. On either side is an assortment of tattered-looking shops, freestanding kiosks and persistent peddlers ready to serve the steady stream of loitering locals there to eat, shop and socialize.
Two years ago, entering this scene would have invoked shame and anxiety for Mike (19). As a double orphan responsible for his three younger siblings, he actively avoided public places as much as possible because of the judgement and stigma he experienced.
At that time, he and his siblings had dropped out of school because they couldn’t afford the uniforms and materials. “If you don’t have those things, people gossip,” said Mike. Unable to afford soap, he recalled his odor being another source of shame and ridicule, further amplifying his family’s segregation from the community. The family had little food and often went without meals.
Prayer kept his hopes alive during the hardest times. He prayed to have a good life, to be happy and to be able to provide for his siblings. In October 2018, his prayers were answered when he joined Zoe Empowers Malawi. His group, Tithandizane “Harmony” Chimwaza, was funded by the children and graduates of the Zoe Empowers Kenya program.
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Within the first six months, Mike started a business selling broiler chickens from a small kiosk. He proudly positioned it alongside the main road. At first, when community members and fellow business owners saw him there, they didn’t believe he, an orphan, could run such a business, but Mike stayed the course, showing up day after day to sell chickens.
Before the end of his first year, Mike established another kiosk next door to his original location to cook chicken parts, selling them fresh and hot on skewers. He hired his cousin to help him operate the second stand while he manned the other. Combined, the businesses generated enough money for Mike to re-enroll all of his siblings in school.
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Despite the challenges related to COVID-19, Mike continued to make progress in his journey out of poverty in 2020. This year, he completed the construction of a new home, saving an impressive $2,000 to build it! Even with the investment of a new home, he has still been able to save money for everyday living expenses.
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The success and substantial changes in his life have not only transformed Mike’s physical world, as it pertains to clean clothing, safe shelter and regular meals, but his self-confidence and mental well-being have also improved. Voted to be his group’s secretary, Mike has stepped into his ability to lead and connect with others.
While working at his kiosk, he often wears his Zoe Empowers branded t-shirt, stating the logo “reminds him he once had nothing but now he has something.” With one more year left in the empowerment program, we look forward to seeing what else Mike will accomplish.
It is clear orphaned and vulnerable children are especially in need of support post-pandemic.
By forming and funding additional empowerment groups, the effort can effectively be multiplied in Malawi and beyond.
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