A quiet revolution in Malawi

by THE OLBIOS TEAM

Tiwale, or how to escape poverty through education

THE OLBIOS TEAM

Ellen Chilemba founded her organization Tiwale, at age 17 in 2012. Tiwale‘s aim is to help women escape poverty by empowering them with the relevant education and information through workshops, vocation skills training, and interest-free micro-finance loans. In a few short years, Tiwale has trained hundreds of women and has helped many of them start successful businesses.

Tiwale hosts after-school workshops providing educators to support with challenging topics or students struggling in a certain area. Their workshops include STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math), encouragement through the learning of computer literacy and using a tablet for art in addition to physical art. They also have a community library of 200 books allowing participants to borrow books or attend a reading circle where a group reads a book together.

They also provide school grants to dedicated community members interested in returning to secondary school. Grant recipients are required to submit term reports and teacher updates to the Tiwale team. Their grant covers educational fees, school equipment, transportation costs, and a small living stipend.

Ellen has been called a powerhouse by Forbes, as well as being named one of their “Africa’s Most Promising Entrepreneurs Under 30 ».