2024 Awardees Profiles

Prof Dorothy Cynthia Nampota

Professor Dorothy Cynthia Nampota is the Executive Director of the Malawi National Examinations Board (MANEB). She holds a Bachelor of Education (University of Malawi, 1991), Master of Arts (University of London, King’s College, 1997), PhD (University of Bath, 2005) and University Certificate in Research Management, Teaching, Learning and Higher Education Management (University of Kassel, 2006).

Since she joined MANEB in November 2020, the organization has undergone tremendous improvements that have had an impact not only on the candidates, but also to the nation at large. Among the major achievements is the curbing of examination leakages. For four consecutive years, including the re-administration of the leaked 2020 Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) examinations, MANEB has administered leakage free examinations. Secondly, in keeping with the aspirations inherent in the Malawi 2063 vision, MANEB successfully rolled out e-registration and e-payment of examination fees by candidates in 2022 for all the four examinations namely, Primary School Leaving Certificate of Education (PSLCE), Junior Certificate of Education (JCE), Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) and Primary Teacher Certificate of Education (PTCE). This has helped improve transparency, efficiency and effectiveness in MANEB’s provision of services. Other e-systems introduced under her leadership include e-capturing of student grades and e-payment of allowances to invigilators, markers and all other stakeholders and clients.

Under the leadership of Dorothy Nampota, MANEB has made other unprecedented achievements. The first is the administration of deferred examinations to those candidates that would have missed the cycle of examinations for one reason or another. Deferred examinations for PSLCE were administered to a group of students at one school that was affected by natural disasters in 2022, and in 2023, the same was administered to candidates whose examination fees were embezzled by some unscrupulous school administrators in ten districts. In the same year, 2023, deferred MSCE examinations were administered to candidates whose scripts were stolen at one school. The second achievement is the timely release of examination results. While previously results were released after the new academic year had already started, under her leadership, examination results have been released before the new academic year. In 2023, PSLCE and JCE results were released a month before the new academic year started. Thirdly, Dorothy Nampota’s leadership has tremendously reduced the candidates’ wait time for certificates from 12 months and above in previous years to three months. The fourth achievement is the support rendered to students who would have missed examinations due to lack of examination fees. MANEB sourced examination fees for over 100 students to make them eligible to sit for 2024 examinations.

Dorothy Nampota previously worked as a teacher educator, researcher and consultant in education at the University of Malawi’s Chancellor College, from 1992 to 2020. During her tenure, she took various leadership positions including Head of Department (2005-2009), Deputy Dean of Education (2005-2006) and Director of Centre for Educational Research and Training (2010-2014). She also served on a number of national and international Boards and Societies including President of the Malawi chapter of the Southern African Association for Research in Mathematics, Science and Technology Education; Chairperson of ActionAid Malawi Board; Vice Chairperson of the National Commission for Science and Technology Board; Vice Chairperson of the Malawi National Examinations Board. She undertook numerous research studies the major ones being the JICA funded curriculum improvement project; NUFU funded Broadening access into a more Socially Responsible Science and Technology Education project; AAU funded Implementing the Third Mission of Universities in Africa project; NEPAD-AUDA Science Education project and NORAD funded Female Education in Mathematics and Science in Africa (FEMSA).

Professor Nampota is a member of various local and international boards and societies. She is the Chairperson for ActionAid Malawi Board of Directors and served as Vice Chairperson on the Board of Directors for National Commission for Science and Technology (2014-2017) and Malawi National Examinations Board (2010-2012). Dorothy Nampota has professionally engaged with a number of higher education institutions.

Viwemi

Viwemi is a human rights and social development advocate with applied interests in political empowerment of women, resource mobilization, decentralization and local governance among others. He has been on political empowerment of women front since 2004 elections supporting various role. He led the 2019 50-50 campaign as a team leader. The 50:50 Campaign Management agency was a new concept in the running of the campaign to increase women representation in elected and other leadership positions in Malawi. There was lot of effort in innovation and new ideas like setting up an incubator as a cross party space, private sector funding, pro-bono mechanism and hosting campaign schools during the whole election life cycle.

A teacher by profession, Viwemi holds a master’s degree in development studies from University of Free State (South Africa). He also holds a postgraduate diploma in monitoring and evaluation from Stellenbosch University (South Africa). He is part of the 8^th cohort of Malawi Human Rights Commissioners. Viwemi has held several management and advisory roles across various local and international organizations, including National Democratic Institute, International Republican Institute, Catholic Relief Services, GIZ, AHT, UN Women and Civil society in Malawi. He is a former board member of NICE (2019-2022) where he also chaired the resource mobilisation subcommittee of the board. He is also member of the AU Civil Society Working Group on Women, Peace and Security (CSWG-WPS). The grouping houses 15 CSOs across Africa promoting women, peace and security issues from the CSO lens. Viwemi is a former member of Spotlight Malawi Civil Society National Reference Group where he served as its Vice Chairperson (2021-2023). He serves a board of Director for Citizens Alliance.

He currently serves as a Team Leader for the Centre for Civil Society Strengthening (www.ccssmalawi.org). Centre for Civil Society Strengthening (CCSS) is currently partnering with NICE to implement the UNDP Malawi Elections Support Project supporting women participation in three districts of Neno, Salima and Karonga. Furthermore, for the 2025 elections, CCSS has partnered with OXFAM for the 2025- 50-50 campaign in Mangochi and Nkhotakota districts courtesy of the Embassy of Iceland Lilongwe.

Caroline – Claudette Liabunya

She is a seasoned HR Practitioner with nineteen years work experience in the Human Resources & Administration field ensuring that well qualified and skilled human capital is well motivated and maintained to achieve the goals and objectives of the organization efficiently and effectively.

She holds a Masters Degree in Business Administration from the Management College of Southern Africa (MANCOSA). She also holds a Degree in Human Resource Management and various professional certificates in Human Resources and Office Management.

Her main key of interest is HR as a strategic partner and alignment of the Human Capital to the strategic function of the organization. She strives hard in providing a holistic and strategic approach to the management of people which includes a variety of activities and key among them, being human resources planning which involves alignment of Core Competencies to Core Functions.,

Caroline has attended a number of extensive Continuous Professional Development (CPD) courses within and outside Malawi in various areas of expertise in the HR field ranging from Strategic HR, Balanced Scorecard, Performance Management, Proactive Management, Leadership & Change Management, Transformative Leadership for Implementing Public Sector Reforms in Africa, Senior Management Skills Development, Disciplinary & Grievance Handling skills and Managing Organisational Change just to mention but a few.

She has served as a Council member of the Institute of People Management (Malawi) IPMM) for four years, a professional body whose main objective is to promote the Human Resource Management in Malawi. She chaired the Marketing Committee meant to provide visibility and the HR platform to the professional HR, other equally important professionals and the general public. Currently she is serving in the Research & Consultancy Committee of the IPMM for four years running.

Caroline is one of the authors of the first volume of the Human Resource Management Handbook published by the Institute of People Management (IPMM).

She is also a Board Chairperson of the Network for Youth Development (NfYD) after serving two years as Vice Chairperson. NfYD is a local Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) in Malawi. The NGO is committed to supporting and empowering the youth, women and vulnerable children on issues that affect their lives in the rural areas.

Caroline is a go getter, very reliable, trustworthy, innovative, flexible/adaptable, dedicated, and self-motivated individual and a passionate Management professional who has more than 14 years of extensive experience in Senior Management Team.

In her free time, she enjoys reading motivational books, watching action films, sight-seeing and making a difference in vulnerable people’s lives.

She is a dedicated Christian and hold high Christian Values, a reliable member of her Church and a Womens’ Guild member.

Eng. Susan Bonongwe Mponda

Community contributions

Organising chairperson for the 2023 Annual Engineers Conference which brought all disciplines of engineers and affiliates to discuss on how to build back better amid climate effects
Manages a lady basketball team that aims at bringing together young girls and women into the sport. Career talks and charity works like visiting the less privileged, are conducted by the team.
Been volunteering for church building projects to ensure that safe and structurally sound structures are built.
Conducts career talks in partnership with stakeholders like Rotary, National Construction Industry Council, FAWEMA to encourage girls in schools to take up Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) careers.
Professionally designed and supervised more than 100 building projects in Malawi improving the livelihoods of Malawians.

Achievements

Pioneered the creation of Women in Engineering(WomEng) branch in Malawi
Successfully completed and managed construction of 500 primary school classrooms in 8 districts funded by the Global Partnership for Education. The classrooms improved the learning environment and also reduced the number of learners to be in one classroom.

Qualifications

Master of Science Degree in Project Management (University of Bolton)
Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering (University of Malawi – The Polytechnic)
Professional Civil Engineer – Structures.
23 years’ experience in designing and supervision of construction projects
Has worked for a consulting firm, Ministry of Education and currently at Ministry of Transport and Public Works – Buildings Department.

Memberships

Executive member for Federation of Southern African Engineering Organisations (SAFEO) – Women in Engineering.
Interim member of the Women in Science, Engineering Technology Organistion (WISETO) Malawi.
Professional Member for Malawi Engineering Institution.
Former Chairperson of the Womens Chapter (Malawi Institution of Engineers)

Phatuma Amasi Mataka

Phatuma Amasi-Mataka is the Managing Counsel of Amasi & Associates, a well-established and highly reputable law firm based in Zomba. With a wealth of experience in the legal field, she has successfully led her team in providing top-tier legal services to a diverse range of clients.

Phatuma holds a Bachelor of laws (Honours) and Bachelor of Arts (Humanities) degrees obtained from Chancellor College, University of Malawi. She is currently pursuing her studies for a Master’s Degree in Commercial law at the same University.

Ms. Amasi-Mataka is a seasoned litigator who has been in private practice since 29^th January, 2014 when she was admitted to practice law in the Courts of Malawi. Along the way, she was named and listed on the Court Room Mail 100 female Lawyers in Africa 2021

Phatuma is an active member of the Malawi Law Society (MLS). She was re-elected to serve as Treasurer of the MLS Executive Committee (Exco) at the 2023 Annual General Meeting. She also served as Honorary Secretary of the MLS Exco in an acting capacity in March, 2023. As a member of the Executive Committee of the MLS, she has played a pivotal role in promoting ethical practices, profession development and access to justice within the legal community

Counsel Amasi Mataka is the current Head of the Legal Practice Sub-Committee Women Practice Division of the MLS. She also served as the MLS Council Representative to the SADC Lawyers Association from 2021 to 2024.

Prior to establishing her law practice, she had worked as an Associate at Chidothe, Chidothe & Company (2014-2016) and Sacranie, Gow & Company (2016-2019). She also worked on attachment at two of the leading law firms in South Africa namely Werksmans Attorneys and Norton Rose Fulbright South Africa Inc. in 2018.

Phatuma is a beneficiary of the 2017 Trial Advocacy Training that was conducted by Justice Advocacy Africa and Malawi Law Society. She is immensely skilled in general litigation, legal research and alternative dispute resolution. Her passion for the law and unwavering dedication to serving others have earned her respect and admiration among her peers and colleagues.

She is the only child in her family. She is married and has two children.

Dr. Bertha Bangara Chikadza

She is a macroeconomist with over 18 years of Post Baccalaureate experience. She has a PhD in Economics from the University of Cape Town in South Africa, a MSc in International and Development Economics from the Australian National University in Australia and a Bachelor of Social Science Degree from the University of Malawi.

Bertha has also conducted Post-doctoral fellowships at the University of Cape Town where she researched the efficacy of earmarking tobacco taxes for health and the University of Pretoria where she researched the Gendered postharvest losses in soybean production. Bertha has contributed immensely to the development of national policies and strategies including the recommendations for reduction in AIP and increasing mega farms agriculture through her numerous Government Budget analyses. Bertha’s research span areas of foreign exchange and policies in low income economies, taxation and commodity pricing, poverty and inequality, food security, International Economics, Public Finance, Current Account and Trade Balance issues.

Bertha worked as a Policy and Business Development Officer at the Ministry of Industry and Trade for over 10 years where she contributed significantly to formulation of different business and trade policies and joined MUST in 2019 where she headed the Open and Distance e-learning (ODeL) for two years.

Currently, Bertha is a lecturer in Economics at MUST, and a Part time lecturer of Advanced Macroeconomics at the University of Malawi. She is also a Member of the Grants Review Committee of the Transforming Agriculture through Diversification and Entrepreneurship (TRADE) programme in Malawi, a member of the Monetary Policy Committee of the Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM), a member of the Finance and Audit Committee of the Malawi National Council of Sports (MNCS), a board member of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and also the Acting President of the Economics Association of Malawi (ECAMA).

Joyce Mhango Chavula

Joyce is a Socio-Cultural Animator with over 10 years’ experience in the arts industry as a Leader, Marketer, Trainer, Producer, Director and performer.

WORK EXPERIENCE IN THE ARTS

Malawi film festival: Organising Committee member- Fundraising, marketing and publicity.
National Schools Youth Arts Festival (NASFEST)- Festival Manager.
Rising Choreos Theatre CO – Creative Director.

FILMOGRAPHY

Gabrielle and the Mountain (Brazil/France)- Production coordinator (Local)
The Bride Price – Leap Year Films Inc.(USA)- Local Fixer
The Road to Sunrise- Casting Director
The Last Fishing Boat-Malawi- Production coordinator
Reflections- Nollywood-Nigeria- Line Producer
Kamara Tree- Sierra Leone- Asst production manager
B’ella-Malawi- Art Director
Lilongwe- Director, screen writer
Nyasaland- Director
Malawi at Crossroads – Production Manager
Fatsani- Actress
Highbrow- Actress
Misnomer- Actress
Tsanzo- Actress
Is the President Dead? – Actress

POSITIONS IN THE ARTS INDUSTRY

Board member- National Theatre Association of Malawi (NTAM)
Committee member- African Women Filmmakers Hub (AWFH)
Vice President- Film Association of Malawi (FAMA)(Former)
President-National Theatre of Malawi (NTAM)(Former)
Committee member Arterial Network-Malawi (Former)
Committee member-OSCARS (Malawi Chapter)
Board Member
Malawi Artists Welfare Fund (Ministry of Arts & Culture)
Board member
Arts, productive and Marketing cooperative (APMC)

AWARDS

Award for Achievement in Film and Theatre
Arts Development Recognition Award
Youth Arts Ambassador
SADC Outstanding Women in Film Making
Best Director, Best feature film- M-Theatres movie awards
AMVCA for best movie southern Africa
Most Inspirational Woman- WODA
Influential women in arts 2022
Achievement in film-Fama
Ambassador – The African film festival- USA
Ambassador- African women arts & film festival

PROFESSIONAL ARTS QUALIFICATIONS

Cert in Performing Arts-2012- Konstanz theatre-Germany
Certified Arts Trainer- African Arts Institute- Capetown, Rsa- 2014
Graduate in Directing and Screenwriting-Africa Movie Academy
Local economic actor-2013- Folke Bernadotte Academy- Sweden

Brenda C. Banda

Mrs Ivy Yvonnie Kondowe-Chinangwa

Ivy is the current Director of Sports and Recreation Development at Malawi National Council of Sport. She also happens to be the first female Sports Science Lecturer at the Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST) the fourth public university in Malawi. She attained Bachelor of Education majoring in Physical Education and Expressive Arts from Domasi College of Education in Conjunction with University of Malawi in 2010 before she went for her Masters of Science in Sport Recreation and Exercise Science at the University of the Western Cape. Currently working on the last phase of her PhD with the same University of the Western Cape.

The academician has also been an Adjunct Lecturer of Mzuzu University and DAPP Amalika Teachers Training College. In addition, Ms Ivy Kondowe has been the Co- Investigator for African Union Sports Council Region 5 Research Projects focusing on the Inclusion of People with Disabilities, Girls and Women in Sport.

She has led the Field Study and Analysis of the Nine Traditional Games and Sport of Malawi. This is a Research Project under UNESCO that is spearheaded by UNESCO Malawi National Commission approved by UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee on Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH).

Ivy Chinangwa has also served as Head of Department for Physical Education and Expressive arts at Domasi College of Education. She has also been instrumental in the development of the Sports Science and Physical Education Curricula for MUST and Domasi College of Education, and also for Secondary and Primary Schools Education. She supervises research projects for both undergraduate and postgraduate students at Malawi University of Science and Technology, University of the Western Cape and Domasi College of Education respectively.

Apart from her positions as Director of Sports and Recreation Development, Sports Scientist and Researcher, Ivy Chinangwa coordinates the Women Leadership Programme and Sport for All Malawi Chapter. The programme is aimed at empowering young women to attain top leadership positions in sport. In addition, Chinangwa has established the Pierre de Coubertin Youth Sport Programme in the communities surrounding MUST through the University Community Outreach Activities.

Ivy is also a qualified trainer of UNESCO iPEPAS Programme and currently leading the inclusive sports programmes in Malawi. She trained in the Olympic Values Education Programme by Olympic Foundation for Culture and Heritage and the Foundation for Sport Development and Peace.

Ivy has also supported Sports Science students in Malawi to attend other relevant sport courses offered by Malawi National Council of Sport, Malawi Olympic Committee and FIFA at National level. Not only that, but also supported athletes with and without disabilities in the communities to participate in sport

Grace Phiri Zimba

Grace Phiri Zimba is a Chartered Construction Manager, registered with the UK-based Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB). She is currently pursuing a PhD in Architecture at Sheffield Hallam University in the UK, with a research focus on sustainable building materials and technologies. She holds a Master’s degree in Construction Economics and Management from the Slovak University of Technology, a Postgraduate Certificate in Facilities Management, and a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Studies from the University of Malawi, The Polytechnic.

With over 15 years of experience in both the public and private sectors, Grace has played a pivotal role in advancing sustainable construction practices. Having worked with GIZ Malawi as a Construction Advisor, she promoted use of environmentally friendly building materials and technologies. While at GIZ she led the dissemination of the Low Carbon Cement Project and the Vertical Shaft Brick Kiln Project in Malawi, contributing to the country’s efforts in reducing carbon emissions in the construction sector.

In 2022, she led a team of experts in the GIZ Global Innovation Fund competition, where their project, Waste No Waste, received the Best Product Award and funding for implementation in Malawi. She has recently been nominated as the Malawian Ambassador for Women in the Built Environment (WITBE) Global, where she actively motivates and supports women in the Built Environment, advocating for a safer and more inclusive environment where they can thrive with confidence.

Beyond her professional achievements, Grace is passionate about empowering young women in STEM, actively mentoring and inspiring the next generation to excel in the construction industry.