Newly-elected Miss Malawi Thandie Chisi is a passionate social impact leader whose work champions women and youth empowerment.
She uses the power of sustainable fashion and entrepreneurship for social and economic transformation.
Through her Sustainable Fashion and Women Empowerment (SFWE) initiative, Thandie has been empowering girls to stay in school and achieve socio-economic independence.
She described her crowning last Saturday at Pearl Convention Centre in Lilongwe as a climax of her long term mission to use fashion as a tool for empowering women in the country.
“All along, I have been passionate about fashion, beauty and modelling. My vision was fuelled when it aligned well with great minds behind the rebranded Miss Malawi pageant who proved further to me that fashion, beauty and modelling are more than cat walking on the runway.
“And I am excited to embark on this noble journey of social transformation,” she said.
As Miss Malawi 2025/26, Thandie went away with K50 million and other prizes.
She said part of the money will be used to amplify voices of young women through her SFWE initiative.
Thandie has a Bachelor of Social Sciences from the University of Malawi (class of 2022).
Her initiative partnered with National Economic Empowerment Fund (Neef), NBS Bank and Tiwafikire organisation to empower over 40 women through the Empower Her Now tailoring and Sustainable Livelihood Environmental Conservation project.
The women were equipped with entrepreneurial skills to build sustainable businesses and livelihoods.
Thandie said: “At Sustainable Fashion and Women Empowerment, we believe women should be empowered to lead effectively in different spheres of their lives.
“Therefore, Empower Her Now is more than just training; it is a huge investment in building financially confident, resourceful and socially responsible entrepreneurs who can thrive in today’s competitive markets.”
The programme also equipped young women with business management and planning skills such as branding, marketing, customer relations, budgeting, bookkeeping, savings, sustainability and ethical business practices.
Few months ago, the programme attracted representatives from Women First International Fund to interact with the beneficiaries and celebrate its impact together.
Thandie said the interaction was amazing as representatives witnessed the creativity, drive and resilience of the women.
“This reminded us why partnerships matter. Together, we amplify voices, open doors and create real change,” she added.
Thandie, through SFWE, has also partnered with the National Youth Council of Malawi to gain leadership insights on youth-centered advocacy and participatory action.
She also champions girls education through Keep a Girl in School project.
Recently, she partnered SAT Malawi, Flying Girls Malawi, Purple Inc and Mizu and For Rights to conduct school outreach activities in Lilongwe.
“Together, we are working to ensure that no girl misses classes because of menstrual poverty. At the same time, our partner for rights conducts legal awareness and human rights education.
“We believe every girl deserves to understand her rights, manage her period with dignity and stay in school without fear or shame.When girls are empowered with knowledge and protected by their rights and laws, they thrive,” said Thandie.
Apart from educating adolescent girls on laws and human rights, Keep a Girl in School project distributes reusable sanitary pads and promotes menstrual hygiene to sustain their dignity, confidence and learning.
Their recent outreach activity at Mkwichi Secondary School in Lilongwe distributed 120 reusable sanitary pads to girls.
Thandie’s initiative also partnered with Elevate Malawi this year to participate at the Youth Business Fair to showcase sustainable fashion.
According to her, the fashion show is more than style; it is a statement turning creativity, culture and innovation into powerful voices for climate resilience.
“From upcycled designs to eco-friendly fashion, every look tells a story of change. We are committed to telling stories that inspire actions to build climate-resilient communities in Africa,” she said.
SFWE also promotes clean energy solutions through the use of briquettes, solar energy and biomass for cooking.
Thandie is currently placed at the Ministry of Homeland Security, Department of Refugees in Lilongwe under the 2025/26 Emerging Public Leaders of Malawi (EPL) Public Service Fellowship.
Her roles contribute towards strengthening coordination, documentation and communication processes that directly impact the welfare and protection of refugees in Malawi.
“Basically, my work contributes toward ongoing efforts to strengthen public systems for effective and efficient service delivery.
“During this year-long fellowship, I am looking forward to supporting initiatives that strengthen service delivery for refugees, improve institutional processes and deepen my understanding of how policy and public administration can drive meaningful change,” she said.
Forging ahead, Thandie appealed to companies and organisations to support her charity to expand its impact.
“I am grateful for the overwhelming support to the Miss Malawi pageant this year. I would like to urge the sponsors and well-wishers to continue supporting the brand and our social activities to reach more communities for sustainable impact,” she said.
