Tionge Mtambo has defied all odds to become an inspiration to many young Malawian girls.
The 31-year-old Tondola Primary School head teacher in rural Chitipa District, has a unique story to tell.
Recently, she was among 10 finalists for the 2025 Global Teacher Prize— a prestigious award that recognises teachers across the globe for exceptional and outstanding work in their communities.
The United Nations Educational and Scientific Organisation and the Varkey Foundation organise the awards.
Had she won the award, she could have brought home $1 million (K1.7 billion), subsequently making her a young billionaire—perhaps, a feat that none has achieved.
Tionge was among 50 global teachers shortlisted for her numerous initiatives in fighting for the welfare of girls in Malawi, especially Chitipa District where she comes from.
She says it was an incredible honour being recognised for what she does out of goodwill and passion.
Tionge hoped to win and bring back the stash, but she remains grateful.
“While I hoped to win, my main expectation was to use this platform to amplify voices of vulnerable learners, especially girls facing barriers to education.
“More than anything, I wanted the world to hear stories of resilience from Chitipa and other rural communities,” she said.
Who is Tionge?
Born on June 19 1994 at Kapenda Hospital, Tionge is an early marriage survivor.
She grew up in Kapenda Village which borders Tanzania in Traditional Authority Mwabulambya.
At 15 while in Form Two at Chitipa Secondary School, Tionge was married off to a 46-year-old ploygamous man in 2009.
Tionge was married off as the third wife on pretext of escorting her grandmother to Tanzania to visit a friend.
She was oblivious to the arrangement only to realise her plight on arrival when the purported friend started counselling her about marriage.
Her naivety faded instantly upon realising she was married off. She was heartbroken and numb.
“At that point, I felt my ambitions of becoming a nurse fade,” she says.
But luckily, at dawn of the following day, she managed to escape by lying about answering the call of nature.
Tionge started walking back to Chitipa and along the way, she met a woman who gave her transport fare upon hearing her story.
She advised her to go to a distant place and stay with other relations.
She did as advised, completed her secondary education in 2013 and got a teaching certificate from Karonga Teachers Training College in 2017.
Thereafter, she started her teaching career at Nahayombo Primary School in Chitipa District.
Philanthropy
Against the background of the struggles she faced, Tionge thought about helping girls and vulnerable children to ensure they make it in life.
She never wished for any teen girl to go through what she did.
In 2021 when she was 27, she registered an organisation, Girl Rise Initiative Malawi, with a focus on ending child marriages.
Tionge has also been fighting for the welfare of girls and ensuring they do not drop out of school because of challenges.
She has been assisting learners with their needs and ensuring a conducive learning environment.
The teacher relies on well-wisher and herself to run her organisation.
She also advocates for girls’ rights, encouraging them to remain in school and pursue their studies.
Tionge works with communities to change the mindset of parents and guardians early marriages.
In 2024, she was appointed 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.
Recognition
When Tionge was shortlisted for the 2025 Global Teacher Prize, she says she felt happier than she has ever been.
The soft-spoken educator travelled to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Dubai, between February 11 2025 and February 13 2025 for the ceremony.
The ceremony was held at the World Government’s Summit and according to one of the founders for the awards, Sunny Varkey, the initiative has been important as regards appreciating teachers across the globe.
In a message posted on globalteacherprize.org, Varkey says: “The Global Teacher Prize was created to spotlight the critical role of education in addressing the major challenges of our time-from combating climate change to reducing inequality and navigating technological change”.
Saudi Arabian teacher Mansour Al Mansour won the award for his charitable work, volunteer programmes and support for underprivileged households, inmates as well as orphans.
But despite not clinching the award, Tionge says it was her moment of validation for all the effort she puts into her work, as well as for her colleagues in the profession.
“Coming from a rural district in Malawi [Chitipa] and being recognised on such a global stage proved that impactful work, no matter where it happens, does not go unnoticed,” she says.
Tionge says through the recognition, she has learned teachers are powerful change-makers and that education is not just about teaching in classrooms, but transforming lives.
She says she has further learned the importance of storytelling in education, stating that stories can inspire change.
Tionge says: “I have also learned that haring our struggles and successes can inspire action and bring in the much-needed support.”
Besides, she says the recognition has shown her that the work she does in, among others, advocating for girls’ hostels, feeding programmes and inclusive education, is not just important, but necessary.
She says she is more determined than ever to expand these initiatives, find more partners, and push for policies that support vulnerable learners.
The future
Tionge says she has been motivated to work extra harder following the recognition and that moving forward, she foresees a very bright future.
The Catholic University of Malawi student says the recognition has fueled her passion to continue with her philanthropy work.
“I want to thank everyone who has supported me—my students, my colleagues, my community, and those who believed in my work.
“To teachers across the world; keep pushing, keep innovating, and never underestimate the impact you have. And to young girls facing challenges—know that education is your power, and no obstacle is too big to overcome,” she says.
