Flora Chunga: Leads at hospitality connect consulting services

Flora Chunga, founder and executive director of Hospitality Connect Consulting Services (HCCS), leverages her firm to mentor and empower women and girls in the hospitality industry, helping them gain essential skills and advance their professional lives.

Founded in 2019, HCCS is a highly reputable, women-managed firm with qualified consultants who are industry champions in their fields of expertise. The team is always ready to deliver on a variety of projects in the tourism industry.

Chunga said the firm was established after recognising the challenges faced by marginalised women and youths who are passionate about working in or starting businesses in the industry, but lack practical experience and resources due to financial constraints.

“My initiative aims to create a transformative impact in the hospitality sector by empowering marginalised women and youths.

“My vision is to foster a more inclusive and equitable hospitality sector where diverse talents and perspectives are valued and utilized.” she said.

The executive director added that many hospitality business owners face challenges when opening units without prior industry experience and many prospective entrepreneurs lack the expertise to realise their dreams.

“HCCS is based in Lilongwe and has an excellent network with hotels and lodges working closely with professionals in the Malawian hospitality sector,” she said.

Chunga’s inspiration came from observing the crucial role women play in driving economic growth and development.

“By supporting women in the hospitality sector, HCCS helps to create a more inclusive and robust economy where diverse perspectives and talents contribute to innovation and progress,” she said.

Empowered women are more likely to invest in their families and communities, leading to improved health, education and overall well-being.

“HCCS recognises that supporting women has a multiplier effect that benefits entire communities.

“The hospitality industry benefits from diverse leadership and workforce. By empowering women, HCCS contributes to a more dynamic, creative and effective hospitality sector that can better meet the needs of all stakeholders,” she added.

Chunga also noted that many women possess untapped potential and talent. HCCS is dedicated to providing the training and resources necessary for women to realise their capabilities, advance their careers and become leaders in the hospitality industry.

She shared that the empowerment of women aligns with global initiatives such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 5 which focuses on achieving gender equality and empowering women and girls.

“What motivated me is recognising that empowering women can lead to significant economic and social benefits for Malawi. By focusing on women, I aim to contribute to the country’s development and ensure that women have equal opportunities to participate and benefit from economic growth,” Chunga said.

HCCS offers various programmes to empower women such as skills training in food and beverage services, housekeeping, front office operations and customer service.

This equips women with the practical skills needed to excel in the industry and assists them in finding employment opportunities within the hospitality.

HCCS recognises the unique talents and strengths these women bring and seek to unlock their capabilities.

“Women bring diverse perspectives and experiences to the hospitality industry, fostering innovation and creativity. Their contributions help create more dynamic and responsive businesses.

“Helping others is a deeply rewarding and fulfilling experience for me. I feel a profound sense of purpose and satisfaction when I see the positive impact of my efforts on the lives of women.

“Knowing that I am contributing to their personal and professional growth brings me joy and motivates me to continue working hard,” she expressed.

In the next five years, Chunga aspires to launch an incubator programme to support women and youths in starting their own hospitality-related businesses.

“We also want to provide access to funding, mentorship and resources to help new entrepreneurs succeed. Building a state-of-the-art facility with modern equipment will motivate and encourage innovation and creativity from young women and youths in the hospitality sector,” she said.

Looking ahead, HCCS actively seeks to establish formal partnerships with government agencies and non-governmental organisations that share similar goals and values. These partnerships involve joint planning, resource sharing and coordinated efforts to maximise impact.

“By working closely with local government offices, HCCS ensures that programmes are tailored to the specific needs of different communities, facilitating smoother implementation and greater community acceptance.

“Engaging with traditional and community leaders, HCCS and its partners foster community support and address gender inequalities and cultural barriers hindering the empowerment of young women,” she said.

Looking back, Chunga shares that reaching out to the community and empowering marginalised women and youths is something she has always wanted to do.

Her personal experiences and challenges have shaped her desire to create a supportive environment for others and drive her to create pathways for others to overcome similar obstacles.

HCCS is funded through personal savings and revenue from consultancy and training services offered to hospitality businesses.

The firm provides hands-on training in various aspects of hospitality, such as food and beverage services, housekeeping, front office operations and customer service, equipping women with the practical skills needed to excel in the industry and assisting them in finding employment opportunities within the hospitality sector.

A p p l i ca n t s for HCCS programmes are evaluated based on criteria such as socio-economic status, previous or current work experience, educational background and specific needs.

Shortlisted candidates undergo interviews to assess their motivation, commitment and potential for benefiting from the programme. Selected participants are enrolled in training programmes with an orientation session to introduce them to the curriculum and expectations.

“One of the beneficiaries of this programme is Chifundo, a school leaver from Nkhwangwa, a rural community in Likuni in Lilongwe. Facing significant challenges due to financial constraints, Chifundo applied for the hospitality training programme at HCCS.

“With the skills and knowledge gained from HCCS, she is now employed as a housekeeper at Riverside Hotel & Conference Centre in Lilongwe. Chifundo’s success has had a ripple effect on her community, achieving financial independence and becoming a role model and mentor for other school leavers,” shares Chunga.

Born on December 1, 1983, at Zomba General Hospital, Chunga hails from Nkokoto Village, Traditional Authority Masumbankhunda in Lilongwe.

She completed her primary education at Likuni Girls Secondary up to 1997, attended St. Mary’s Secondary School in Zomba from 1998 to 2001 and pursued Food & Beverage Services at the Malawi Institute of Tourism in 2002-2003.

After working briefly with Alpine Caterers at the Malawi Institute of Management (MIM) in 2004 as a waitress, Chunga’s ambitions ignited.

In 2005, she went to South Africa to seek greener pastures, but returned the same year after working as a maid, which she didn’t enjoy.

Completing her Advanced Di p l oma i n B u s i n e s s Administration from ABE, she enrolled at MIM for a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, graduating in 2016.

Chunga is a well-trained hospitality expert with hands-on experience. She worked for Sunbird Tourism Plc for more than 10 years at a supervisory level.

She is an African Women Cooperatives Entrepreneurs (Awec) 2023-2024 Alumni, Women In Africa (WIA) 2022- 2023 Alumni and a member of the Tourism and Hospitality Industry Professionals Association (Thipa).

She has lectured at the Malawi Institute of Tourism (MIT) Lilongwe Campus for three years and worked as a business manager at Vintage Lodge in Mponera and operations manager at Zest Garden Lodge in Liwonde.

In April 2024, Chunga travelled to Botswana for the African Women Entrepreneurship Cooperatives (Awec) Convention and graduation programme after one year of intensive online training to celebrate HCCS’s impact on young women and girls.

She has also been nominated to attend an AWEC community champions programme in Kigali, Rwanda, in September 2024 as a trainer of trainers to recruit 100 women to be trained by HCCS by December 2024.

Recently, she has been invited to be a Global Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) mentor for 2024-2025 to train African entrepreneurs.

Reflecting on her journey, Chunga recognises that community out-reach has always been a key component of her aspirations.

“I have consistently sought to empower those around me, whether through my work in hospitality, my educational pursuits or my leadership in HCCS.

“This commitment to community engagement has not only shaped my career, but also a driving force behind my efforts to create positive change,” she said. During her free time, Chunga loves to read books, write down her goals, research online for professional development opportunities and finds peace in cleaning her house.