The name Tionge Mtambo is not so unfamiliar.
The primary school teacher has become an inspiration to many young girls, empowering and supporting them through numerous initiatives. Her philanthropy projects have since earned her global recognition, raising Malawi’s flag higher.
But girl empowerment is not all that Tionge, who recently made it into the top 10 finalists of the Global Teacher Prize competition, would like to be known, or remembered for; she is eager to empower her colleagues in the teaching profession.
During the just ended week, Tionge gave a Standard Eight English teacher at St. Anthony Girls Primary School in Zomba—Anifa Mitengo—K1 million as a token of appreciation for her all 75 learners’ success in the 2025 Primary School Leaving Certificate of Education (PSLCE) examinations.
“My decision was guided by both gratitude and recognition. I was deeply impressed by madam Anifa’s commitment, especially her role in helping the Standard Eight learners achieve A’s and B’s in English—something that is not easy, particularly for a female teaching in a rural school. She truly deserved recognition,” she says.
“At the same time, I wanted to appreciate the whole school for their teamwork because without collective effort, such results would not have been possible. This donation was, therefore, a way of celebrating both individual dedication and the spirit of unity within the school.”
But this just marked the beginning of her quest to be motivating teachers in the country.
She says as a Global Teacher Prize Ambassador, it is her responsibility to continue spreading messages about the power of education and the importance of valuing teachers.
“Moving forward, I plan to explore more ways of supporting teachers, whether through mobilising resources, providing professional mentorship or celebrating outstanding educators in rural schools.
“My vision is to inspire a culture where teachers are appreciated not only when they retire, but throughout their teaching journey,” she says.
Tionge says motivation goes beyond salaries.
She says teachers need to be recognised for their efforts, supported with adequate teaching and learning materials and given opportunities for professional growth.
Tionge says: “Simple acts of recognition, like celebrating success stories or highlighting their impact in the media, makes teachers feel valued. When teachers are motivated, they become more innovative, passionate and committed, which directly improves learners’ performance.”
The 31-year-old laments gaps in the education sector.
She says it is sad that many schools operate with crowded classrooms and lack basic teaching and learning resources. She also cites scenarios where teachers often work with limited access to training, poor housing amid little recognition for their sacrifices.
According to Tionge, addressing these gaps requires stronger investment in education by government in collaboration with communities and civil society as well as the private sector.
“We need a system where teachers are empowered and equipped to deliver quality education to every child,” she says.
Coming from a background where as a girl she faced multiple serious struggles, Tionge has always been determined to improve the lives of girls, especially those that are vulnerable.
She does not wish for any teen to go through what she went through.
As such, she has been fighting for the welfare of girls and ensuring they do not drop out of school due to different challenges they go through. She has been assisting learners with their needs and ensuring they have a conducive learning environment—all this through assistance from her own savings and at times, from well-wishers.
Learners lacking school uniforms, sanitary pads and other necessities have been assisted by Tionge throughout her journey as a teacher. In 2021 when she was 27, she registered an organisation, Girl Rise Initiative Malawi, with a focus on ending child marriages.
She has also been into activism, ensuring that rights of girls are protected and observed, an initiative which throughout the years has been instrumental in encouraging teen girls to remain in school and pursue their studies further.
Tionge also works with communities to encourage girls not to abandon school for marriage which has changed the mindset of parents and gardens amid belief of teen marriages in the far north.
In 2024, she was appointed as executive director for Malawi Foundation of Hope, an organisation supporting vulnerable children, ending child marriages, promoting education and innovation and strengthening early childhood development programmes.
Through assistance of numerous stakeholders, she also fights for girls hostels to be constructed to reduce the travel burden often faced by girls in their daily school lives.
