Chimwemwe Banda, a passionate gender equality activist and social worker, has been named the 2024 Mpoto Awards Best Gender Equality Champion.
Through her, Citizen Impact Organisation (CIO) and other initiatives, she has promoted equitable communities across Malawi.
Reflecting on the award, Banda expressed her excitement and determination to continue advocating for girls and women.
“Winning this award is a humbling recognition of the work we do at CIO. It inspires me to keep championing gender equality and validates that our efforts are making a meaningful impact, ”she said.
This accolade follows her 2023 recognition as a Young Woman with Distinction by the Young Achievers for Development Organisation.
Banda emphasized that such recognition amplifies her work, attracting more partners and stakeholders.
“It reinforces our credibility, helping us expand our initiatives, reach more women and girls across Malawi,” she noted.
Banda’s advocacy journey began in 2018 when she volunteered with Tovwirane HIV and Aids, facilitating sessions on Sexual Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) for women and girls.
Her personal experiences, including navigating life as a single mother, deepened her resolve to create safe spaces for addressing these challenges.
This commitment led her to the founding of CIO in 2021, an organisation dedicated to addressing social and economic disparities affecting women, girls and vulnerable groups.
“We focus on thematic areas such as gender equality, SRHR, education, menstrual health and hygiene, disability rights, agriculture and climate change.
“Our initiatives include providing school materials for needy girls, distributing reusable pads and training young women in tailoring, financial literacy and computer skills,” she added.
Banda also noted that they operate a youth friendly health service corner to bridge access gaps in SRHR services, ensuring that youths and women receive the care and information they need.
As a single mother, Banda has experienced firsthand challenges girls and young women face in their societies.
This motivated her to create a safe space where young mothers can learn about their health rights, education and become role models for parents, guardians and young girls.
Her organisation aims to facilitate open conversations about puberty, growing up, empowerment and creating employment opportunities for young people.
Banda believes that CIO can serve as a hub for youth empowerment, where various entrepreneurship skills and training are provided to promote youth economic empowerment and development.
“My academic background in communication studies and social work has been instrumental in shaping my advocacy approach,” she said.
Throughout her journey, she has faced difficulties such as cultural resistance, limited funding and deeply rooted gender norms which have been significant hurdles.
“However, these experiences have taught me the importance of grassroots engagement, community education,and strategic partnerships. Facing these challenges has strengthened my resolve and enabled me to develop innovative, community centered approaches to advocacy,” she explained.
Banda believes that some of the projects contributing to her recognition as the Best Gender Equality Champion include the training of over 50 young women in tailoring and fashion design, empowering them with economic skills.
She said: “We also distributed reusable pads to rural schoolgirls and implemented financial literacy programmes for women.
“Rescuing underage girls from early marriages and enabling them to return to school has been one of our most impactful initiatives,” she said.
Banda emphasized that they measure their impact through tangible outcomes such as the number of women and girls trained in income generating activities, the retention of schoolgirls in education, and access to SRHR services.
The gender activist acknowledged that while Malawi has made strides in gender equality, challenges persist, particularly in rural areas where cultural norms hinder progress.
She highlighted that the most pressing challenges facing women and girls include early marriages, limited access to education, inadequate SRHR services and economic hardships such as poverty and lack of financial independence.
“Early marriages rob girls of education and opportunities, while limited access to education perpetuates the cycle of poverty.
“Inadequate SRHR services prevent women from making informed health decisions, and economic challenges leave women and girls vulnerable,” she explained.
To address these issues, Banda emphasizes the need for collective action through policy advocacy, community education, safe spaces, and economic empowerment.
She believes that by offering vocational training, financial literacy and entrepreneurship opportunities, women and girls can achieve financial independence, overcome socio economic barriers, and break the cycle of poverty.
She advises young women to believe in their dreams and starting small as every step counts. She also encourages them to build a strong support system.
“Most importantly, be resilient, as the journey may not always be easy,” she said.
Looking ahead, Banda envisions CIO expanding its reach, particularly in rural areas and introducing more economic empowerment programmes.
She also hopes to collaborate with organisations in Malawi and across Africa to build a stronger network for gender equality advocacy.
“I believe that teamwork and collaboration surpasses all and together we can build a more equitable future,” she concluded.
Banda is the fifth born in a family of six and she has a bachelor degree in communication from Mzuzu University obtained in 2023.
