The Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leadersis the flagship program of the US Government’s Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI). Since 2014, nearly 5,100 young leaders from every country in Sub-Saharan Africa have participated in the Fellowship. The Fellows between the ages of 25 and 35 are accomplished leaders and have established records of promoting innovation and positive impact in their communities and countries. In 2022, the Fellowship provided 700 outstanding young leaders from Sub-Saharan Africa with the opportunity to hone their skills at a US college or university with support for professional development after they return home. The Clark Atlanta University School of Business participants are entrepreneurs interested in expanding their business enterprises.
Tadala Peggy Chinkwezule is a lawyer and entrepreneur from the country of Malawi. Tadala founded an event management company Estac Events. Their flagship event is the monthly Tipeze Flea Market Hub. This incubation hub is for over 1000 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), run mainly by women and youth. I asked Chinkwezule how she came to work with SMEs. She explained that this was the most significant number of business owners after researching. This group of businesses added millions to the local economy of Malawi.
Chinkwezule also shares that working with women business owners means they can grow their businesses to support their families and communities. She speaks about looking for a digital platform beyond social media to help the group expand even further. Currently, she engages with business owners via WhatsApp. Each month the Tipeze Flea Market Hub provides an affordable way for business owners to showcase their products and services.
I asked Chinkwezule about Malawi. She speaks about being “the warm heart of Africa.” She shares that the people are welcoming. She hopes that the opportunity to meet with other leaders participating in the YALI program to learn, network, and grow.
For more information on the Tipeze Flea Market Hub
For more information on Tadala Peggy Chinkwezule
For more information on the Mandela Washington Fellows - Young African Leadership Initiative