YAG magazine

11/02/2018

One word to describe Chanda Simfukwe? Self-motivated. Passionate about health education, this young man started the SaveLife Youth Zambia Foundation during his Public Health degree. The organisation travels across the country, educating the youth on health issues such as HIV/AIDS and cervical cancer. One of the main reasons for his starting the foundation was to support and promote health of the socially disadvantaged living in different communities.

The 23-year-old grew up in Luapula Province, Zambia, where he gained both his primary and secondary education. Following his father’s passing, Chanda gained an insight into the world of compassion and caring for others. His caring nature and his mother’s profound encouragement are what kickstarted this visionary’s mission to help the public. He is greatly motivated by providing a service to those in need, and to those who do not yet know that they need it. Giving them the tools they need to make better decisions and life choices is what makes Chanda happy.

Focused on ensuring his dreams come to fruition, Chanda has put his best foot forward in all he does, including reading books on success and self-mastery. Besides all this, he still maintains a social lifestyle and enjoys reading, writing and taking on a challenge. He is ardently active in pursuing his best self, and endeavours to allow others to do the same- “I believe that each child is a unique individual who needs a secure and stimulating atmosphere in which to grow emotionally, intellectually and socially,” and “Focus on your vision and make it a reality,” are but a few of Chanda’s favourite quotes and mantras. It’s no wonder he’s a visionary bent on bettering the world, and making a start on that quest.

01/02/2018

30/01/2018

Congratulations Dr Ndifanji AChangalira Melia Namacha on your achievement!

CONGRATULATIONS ARE IN ORDER! JOIN US AS WE CONGRATULATE DR. NDIFANJI MELIA NAMACHA

We are delighted to announce the selection of Dr Ndifanji Melia Namacha to represent the Commonwealth Youth Health Network (CYHN) at the Commonwealth Youth Forum (CYF) during the 2018 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) from 16th -20th April in London. The Commonwealth Youth Health Network called for 6 youth representatives from 52 Commonwealth countries to represent the Network. Ndifanji has been accepted out of the three nominations the National Youth Council of Malawi submitted to the Commonwealth Youth Health Network.

Dr Ndifanji Melia Namacha is a 24 year old qualified medical doctor and a health advocate. Currently, she is working as an Assistant Lecturer in Public Health within the School of Public Health and Family Medicine at College of Medicine and is also a researcher under The Africa Center of Excellence in Public Health and Herbal Medicine (ACEPHEM). She is a research intern working with Malaria Clinical Research and Epidemiology Group at Malawi Liverpool Welcome Trust.

In 2014, Ndifanji was elected as the first female president of Medical Rights Watch, which is under the Centre for Bioethics in Eastern and Southern Africa (CEBESA). As the President of the Watch, she spearheaded a drive aimed at holding the state accountable on the right to health and this involved translating the Malawi Health Charter and educating the public on their health rights.

She is also a member of the Coalition for the Prevention of Unsafe Abortion in Malawi and was involved in the drafting of the abortion bill while she has also been advocating for the availability of contraceptives for women in the country. In addition, she is the current Secretary for Women in Infectious Diseases/Health Research Network in Malawi, and Ambassador for the International Journal of Medical Students (IJMS) Malawi, a position she has held since June 2016. As an Ambassador, she represents Malawi in the journal in terms of development of policy, review of articles and also promoting the journal in the country.

Ndifanji features in MBC Radio 2 youth-targeted programme which aims at informing the youth of their Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) and available services. On the other hand, she engages in charity and voluntary work under the Grown Too Quick Foundation which supports child-headed homes with basic needs such as; food and paying for their school trust funds, and mentoring adolescent girls and boys desiring to pursue a career in science subjects.

As an academic and knowledgeable young researcher with interest in HIV and AIDS, SRH and malaria, she decided to apply to attend the summit as she believes that participation at the forum will give her a good opportunity for networking and collaboration, and gaining new knowledge and insights. Ndifanji is confident that her participation will enrich various discussions during the forum.

More information about the forums of the 2018 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting can be accessed using this link https://www.chogm2018.org.uk/forums

Youth Initiative for Community Development-Malawi Community Initiative for Social Empowerment 🅲🅸🆂🅴 Concerned Youth Organization Environmental Concerned Youth Association - ECOYA Likhubula Youth Organisation (LIYO) - Malawi Neno Active Youth in Development Mgodi Youth Organisation E-Science Youth Organization NATIONAL YOUTH NETWORK OF MALAWI Thuchila Youth Empowerment Programme & Development Network Tikambe Youth Organisation ARISE YOUTH Organisation Malawi Youth Net and Counselling (YONECO) Centre for Youth Empowerment and Civic Education - CYECE Network for Youth Development -NFYD Commonwealth Youth Council The Commonwealth African Union Youth Program Official Malawi Government Online Commonwealth Youth Human Rights and Democracy Network Taahirah Ben Zinat Vincent Reinhard Mosses Thom-Vinmath Ben Kalua Andrew Bwanali Chimwemwe Kaonga Wangie Joanna Kambuzi Tikhala Itaye Tendai BandaaHalima Bint KassimmLamecks Kiyare BandaeMargaret SapezekaaMHubbYouth Hub MalawiiMphatso KapitooAustinho Nyakwawaujeniujeni KunsidaaPhalombe Youth Arms Organisation (PYAO))

28/01/2018

Third Culture Kid: a fashion brand founded by the graceful and determined Palesa Mercedes Recalde. Having attained her degrees at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles, the 23-year-old sought to bring diversity to the world around her through her ethical fashion brand. Furthermore, she seeks to open people’s mind, and support the development of global citizenship respecting local and regional realities.

Palesa has Mosotho and Ecuadorian roots and a lot of her clothes originate from Southern Africa and South America. She had a nomadic childhood, due to her father’s diplomatic position, and this has contributed to her love of travelling and culture. She took the best of her parents’ culture, and many more, to mould her own understanding of the world. Palesa draws her inspiration from the different cultures she encounters; incorporating their fabrics and providing a background history of their origin. The unique and authentic products are hand chosen with careful research and evaluation of not only current fashion trends but of market demands. Her nomadic upbringing in multiple developing countries, and her fascination with different cultures is why she refers to herself as a third culture kid, and thus, it has played a pivotal role in the launch of her own brand.

Additionally, Palesa uses her ethical brand and skill to help build communities, create sustainable crafts/skills for women, pay homage to different countries, cultures and traditions as well as open people to new horizons. Her mission is to share aspects of diversity and tolerance through these products.

This motivated young woman is using her fashion brand to open people’s minds to accommodation, diversity and inclusiveness while being able to empower women and promote cultural diversity. Through brand promotion, she is inspiring a generation that will put an end to ethnic cleansing, tribalism and xenophobia.

She took a risk by entering a difficult industry and has become the better for all it took. Proactivity and self-sufficiency have brought her thus far, “There are people less qualified than you that have succeeded just because they believed in themselves. Point is, believe in yourself.” Wise words from an up and coming fashion designer.

Stay tuned for her event in Lesotho, February 9th.

Full article will be available on our blog and website.

27/01/2018

Virtues of Excellence and Perfection

Vince Lombardi once said, ‘Perfection is not attainable but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence.’

It is my opinion though, that our society today has gotten so preoccupied with the pursuit of perfection, that they neglect the need for excellence, and the few that strive for excellence forget to do so perfectly.
Perfection seems to desire a certain justification that one has accomplished greatness of his own effort and is thus worthy of praise. It often carries alongside this selfish mentality, that shouts, ‘It’s all about me!’ Excellence on the other hand can be said to be the best and most efficient use of resources in executing particular endeavours, resources at the disposal of the many, for the benefit of them all.

Perfection relies on strength, knowledge and well, luck, to produce that one act of greatness. Excellence on the other hand is about what you do every day to sustain the highest possible standard. Perfection sets a bar so high that one approaches with extreme caution and often fear, because if I am not perfect I will not be loved; if I am not perfect I will lose my job. Well the one that loves will love not based on that one act, but a sum total of who you are, and as for the job well we don’t keep our jobs based on that one winning, but an amalgam of our attitude towards our peers and employers; the standard of work we produce and how we represent ourselves in light of the companies’ culture, values and mission.

Can the two co – exist? Well yes they can, and a mix of these is most desirable. It is important though to critically understand the thin line between these two. This marks the point of separation in leadership today.
It separates leaders that desire to bring sustainable transformation and give an example of how to do so, the leaders we need, from those other leaders who are more conscious of the position and the rights it presents as well as how to maintain that status, than the real reason why they occupy the seat.

Striving for excellence will keep you wanting to, and doing the right thing the right way at the right time, perfection well it will give you the motivation to rise to the top, there is nothing wrong with that, but if not coupled with self-actualization, self believe and support it can be a very lonely and demoralizing journey.

A Leader who understands this is one that will no doubt win a seat among the greats. And since we are all leaders, we ought to understand that perfection may get you the spotlight, but excellence will give you a legacy worth remembering.

Can perfection be encouraged in leadership, yes, in fact it should. Perfectionist leaders possess control, they are always in charge, making sure everything runs smoothly, they are result focused and make sure work is done on schedule , they also don’t tolerate mistakes and this is important, not to say mistakes will never be made, by no means, mistakes will be made but it discourages the complacency of accepting and entertaining mistakes. So we won’t throw it out the window. It is a wicked problem but we ought to realize that the two must coexist for there to be maximum utility. Excellence without perfection leaves much to be desired, but perfection without excellence cannot be sustained.

In all, lets strive for excellence in everything we do , and lets apply perfection every step of the way.



-Gift Mbewe-

31/12/2017

Dr Ndifanji Namacha attained her MBBS from the University of Malawi, College of Medicine. As a blossoming academic, she has taken an interest in teaching and research at the College of Medicine. She places an importance on adolescent health: “The adolescents are a key population in achieving a healthy population, and being able to contribute to adolescent health research fuels me each day.” Besides health research, Ndifanji is passionate, determined and describes herself as a woman after God’s own heart. Currently, she assists in teaching medical and scientific undergraduates in the School of Public Health and Family Medicine, College of Medicine. Ms. Namacha is a clear fan of her work and research as she frequently forgets time keeping on a normal day “I love what I do and I literally have a job doing what I love,” says the young doctor.

In her fourth year of study, Ndifanji decided to pursue her now developing career in global public health and clinical practice. “Each woman who has made it to a senior academic role in public health (global health) is my role model,” she says, emphasising the need for mentorship in her line of work and encouraging all senior academics to take on mentoring young students and leading them down the right path. Apart from her career, the 24-year-old has committed to reading a book each month and spending time in worship each morning.

This young doctor is fuelled by the people she inspires. She strongly believes in doing her best for herself, but also for all the people looking up to her. One of her favourite quotes is “She believed she could, and she did,” using this to achieve the goals she writes down and pursues annually.

“Know what you want, that’s the only way it will be easy to say NO because you know your YES. No matter how hard it gets and even if everyone around you doesn’t believe in your dream make sure you always believe in yourself,” is the advice Ndifanji leaves us with. Do you know your YES?

Please share your stories with us

18/12/2017

Blink Duncan Kanyembo was born in Ndola Zambia. He is a 27-year-old fashion designer and the founder of Blink Africa designs. Duncan began his journey to fashion as a young, humble, 7-year-old boy that loved to draw cartoon figures. In 6th grade, his passion for art prompted him to take part in a local art competition where he emerged as the first prize winner. Six years later, in his 12th grade, he participated in a national art competition known as the Mukuba awards competition where he once again took first place. Nonetheless, he realized at the time that art was not appreciated in his home country Zambia and therefore he decided to change his focus from art to fashion. Now Blink owns a fashion brand and through his hard work, focus and determination, his brand is a household name in Zambia.

Losing both parents at a tender age played a critical role in the life of Blink. It built character and an immovable faith in God. He learned to be self-reliant and motivated in the pursuit of his dreams. Mr Kanyembo later faced another tragedy through the loss of his guardian and role model, Mr Simukoko, his grandfather, who had fallen ill at the time. This was a challenging moment in his life. With only a 100 kwacha (approx. 10 dollars) in Mr Kanyembo’s pocket, he decided to start his business, defying the odds and pushing through challenges that arose along the journey. However, through it all, Blink’s hard work and determination has paid off. Mr Kanyembo won the best designer in the Super Java Zambia fashion week. His work has been growing beyond the borders of Zambia and every step draws him closer to fulfilling his dream of building a large factory in Zambia that will produce his clothing and showcase his brand in stores worldwide.

From humble beginnings, setbacks and now the world for the taking, Blink is not slowing down in the pursuit of his dreams. In his own words of advice to fellow youths, entrepreneurs and young leaders, he says ‘Follow your dreams, work like there is no tomorrow and whatever your hands find to do, do it with all your heart with all your strength and with all your mind’. Blink is a living testimony that irrespective of the challenges surrounding you, nothing can stop you from achieving your dreams for as long as there is air in your lungs. His mission statement is simply put as “Never back down from any challenge” and this epitomizes his character and approach to life.

We as Yale magazine challenge you to share your story with us. How are you defying the odds and working towards the improvement of your country or community?

12/12/2017

At only 27, Mmabatlokoa Molefe has always been a dreamer who has never been afraid to chase and fight to achieve her dreams. She was born in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and is the second of four girls. She completed her matric in 2006 and later went on to pursue a Bachelor of commerce in accounting at the university of cape town. She went through one the most difficult years of her life, feeling like a failure and questioning her purpose. She later graduated and took on the corporate world; still filled with hopes and dreams.

Resilient, Optimistic and Compassionate simply define her. With a relentless passion for raising African leaders, she strongly believes that every child should have an equal opportunity to success regardless of race, gender or background. This passion led her to start-up and register her own non-profit organization, African Child. The NGO focuses on improving the schooling experience of previously disadvantaged learners. It aims to create an experience that not only motivates learners to dream beyond their circumstances, but also develop a sense of self-worth. The organization has worked with two primary schools from different communities and has sponsored 30 learners with school essentials, in the past 2 years of existence.

Mmabatlokoa Molefe believes her organisation plays a part in the life story of individuals by providing them with the resources to help them succeed in school and this brings fulfilment to her. It is said that people will forget what you said and did, but they will never forget how you made them feel. With this in mind, she hopes to help students feel better equipped and positioned to chase their dreams.

Drawing from her past experience of attending primary school located within a poverty prevalent community. Mmabatlokoa decided to make a difference the best way she could with what she had to the best of her ability. Building on from her past success of establishing a chess club during her years at primary school. She later became involved in: mentorship programs, prize giving sponsorships, career day expos and after school tutoring with the hope of bringing about change. She can now look back in hindsight to where it all begun with hope that the future is huge and shines even brighter.

Mmabatlokoas’ mission statement is ‘Just start, all else will follow’. We re-echo it back to every youth to ‘just start’ on that dream they have been sitting on and believe they can achieve anything they set their minds on.

Keep a look out for full story on our website.

04/12/2017

At 26, Anita Musenyesa is an upcoming writer and social entrepreneur. She completed her secondary school at Arakan high school and later proceeded to study Business administration at the Zambia Centre for Accountancy Studies (ZCAS). She is the co-founder of a non-profit organisation called The Bride of Christ: an organisation that aims to empower women emotionally and spiritually. Anita says, “My vision is to see women rise up above discrimination in society; to reach their dreams and aspirations.” Part of her work involves counselling women that have gone through challenging circumstances in life. Furthermore, she has supported a cause that enables access to clean drinking water for children in her country of origin, and Africa, over the past year.

The young writer says she has a passion for literature as it is an avenue through which she can freely express herself. In light of this, she is set to launch her new book ‘Twisted Journeys’ early next year. The book is aimed to help readers discover that it is possible to recover from the unexpected winds of life, and above all, brings one to the knowledge that Jesus Christ is interested in doing life with them. Through this and more, Anita aims to leave her mark on the world.

Anita says, “I have learnt that it takes courage to be patient. I have had to take steps and be courageous enough to do what I have never done and be patient enough for it to grow. I have learnt that patience does not mean I stop, and courage does not mean act immediately.” Through words of wisdom such as this, alongside Bride of Christ and the cause for clean drinking water, Anita is fearlessly changing the world, one step at a time.

What are you doing to leave a mark? How will you benefit and inspire generations?

Look out for the full interview on website

27/11/2017

Dario Chongolo is a multi-talented driven 33-year-old Zambian author, motivational/inspirational teacher, broadcaster and entrepreneur. He runs a leadership institute called “Ulendo” loosely translated as ‘journey’. Some of his published work include, Sentenced to Succeed, Manifesting Your Destiny and Understanding the Feminine Soul. For more than a year, he presented a weekly motivational/inspirational radio show at the University of Zambia called Ulendo. He addressed various topics that border on personal development. The entrepreneur is an accountant by training and holds diplomas in theology from Gospel Training Institute and Rhema Bible Training Centre Zambia.

Dario has featured on several programs on radio stations and television shows where he utilized the media platforms to pursue his purpose. He is passionate about helping others discover, develop, and use their God-given potential to benefit their lives, as well as those in their sphere of influence.
With leadership development being one of his passions, he has had the joy of training some leaders on leadership, both in and outside Zambia.

Dario is an ambitious youth that is a leading example in his field and has defied the odds to achieve his dreams. He serves as a great inspiration particularly to youths across Africa that aspire to be authors. If anyone can dare to dream they can achieve their dreams and influence generations through leaving a legacy that will continue to speak long after one is gone. Through books Dario is building a legacy for himself that many young ambitious leaders and entrepreneurs can learn from and be inspired.

For more information about his work and resources please visit the website www.ulendojourney.com.

😊The full interview will be published on our website.