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Mudzi Connect

Fostering sustainable development in Malawi by co-investing in the ideas and aspirations of local communities.

Mudzi Connect
Overview

Mudzi Connect is a national grant-making organization that co-invests directly in the ideas of local Malawian communities to create thriving and sustainable living spaces where everyone can prosper.

By placing our communities at the core of our initiatives, valuing their perspectives, needs, and aspirations, Mudzi Connect contributes to poverty reduction in Malawi and aligns with the Government of Malawi’s vision for 2063.

Our approach is centered on three key strategies:

  • Grant Making: We co-invest directly in the ideas of local leaders and communities, scaling our efforts through approved, local decentralized structures such as Village Development Committees and community-based organizations.
  • Community Foundations: We support communities by unlocking the capacity for people to contribute toward their own development initiatives.
  • Capacity Strengthening: We strengthen capacities in community-led development principles, participatory development, proposal writing, project management, and monitoring and evaluation.

By The Numbers

We work with our community partners to track 400+ indicators across our 1,800+ investments using a custom built database.

Donate

654,
620
Malawian lives impacted through Mudzi Connect’s co-investments

90%
success rate of Mudzi Connect-supported projects

85%
projects show sustained impact after two years

By The Numbers

We work with our community partners to track 400+ indicators across our 1,800+ investments using a custom built database.

co-invest with us

654,
620
Malawian lives impacted through Mudzi Connect’s co-investments

90%
success rate of Mudzi Connect-supported projects

85%
projects show sustained impact after two years

Project Co-Investments

Mudzi Connect's co-investments in community projects reduce poverty through improved access to social services and enable communities to use their own resources and assets to address priorities-while increasing local leadership capacity to champion community-based development.

Kachenga Community-based Child Care Center (CBCC)

Malawi

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Education
2024

The Kafanikhale Village Development Committee is embarking on improving early childhood education by constructing Kachenga Community-Based Childcare Center (CBCC) in the community. The new CBCC will p...

Construction of Chimutu Bridge

Malawi

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Economic Opportunity
2024

Masimbe Village Development Committee seeks to construct the Chimutu-Phadwe bridge in their community. When completed, the $4,224.53  timber deck bridge will help solve mobility challenges for at...

Beekeeping for Economic Empowerment and Environmental Protection.

Malawi

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Economic Opportunity
2024

The Tikondane Beekeeping Club in Mpalare community, Dedza District will use $4,962 from Mudzi Connect to expand their beekeeping business by producing 50 additional hives, and procuring essential equi...

Chigodi Community Based Child -Care center (CBCC)

Malawi

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Education
2024

With an investment of $6,113.42, the Chiponda Village Development Committee, located in the area of Traditional Authority Msakambewa in Dowa district, plans to implement an education project by constr...

Construction of Nakondwa primary school teachers' house 2

Malawi

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Education
2024

Nakondwa Primary School, located in the area of Group Village Headman Chimombo, under Traditional Authority Msakambewa in Dowa, is facing a critical shortage of teachers' housing. Currently, the schoo...

Mudzi Connect Board

The Board of Mudzi Connect is composed of six highly qualified individuals with expertise in areas of management, programming, monitoring, evaluation, learning, law, and financial management. Our board is robust and full of energy that drives the organization forward.

Tamala Chirwa, Board Chairperson

Tamala is an International Coaching Federation (ICF) credentialed Professional Certified Coach (PCC), ICF registered Mentor Coach, Coach Trainer, and a member of the ICF Foundation Board of Trustees. Tamala runs the Professional Coaching Institute, a coaching organization that provides coaching services and leadership development programmes. Amongst her credentials include an MBA, ACCA Diploma in Financial Management, Associate in Management, LEIPA (Leadership Emotional Intelligence Performance Accelerator) Facilitator, certified DiSC® Practitioner, and certified 360 Benchmarks Facilitator.


T. Arthur Chibwana, Vice Board Chairperson

T. Arthur Chibwana is an experienced economist and impact-focused development leader who drives multi-sectoral international partnerships for social change. Currently working as Associate Director and Global Strategic Partnerships Lead for IDinsight, he has demonstrated a history of improving the quality of delivery, measurement. and designing fundable programs in various sectors, including social protection, agriculture, women empowerment, public governance, health, and climate change. Arthur is skilled in strategic partnerships, leadership, resource mobilization, thought leadership, evaluations, quantitative research, and data systems. He advises policy and decision-makers in Africa, including governments, parliaments, funders, and development actors, to increase the social impact potential through data and evidence. He was the runner-up for the 2023 Africa Evidence Leadership Awards and has received national and international recognition. Arthur serves on the Board of World Connect (Mudzi Connect), Global Health Corps (GHC), and Tumaini Letu. He holds a Master of Science in Agricultural and Applied Economics.


Anna Keys

Dr. Anna Msowoya-Keys is a Malawian social entrepreneur. She has founded and led four organizations: 1) Maloto, a U.S.-based non-profit that raises funds and finds technical support for local organizations in Malawi; 2) Mzuzu International Academy, the first internationally accredited primary and secondary school in northern Malawi; 3) Kwithu Community-Based Organization, which provides a range of social, educational, and health programs in Mzuzu; and 4) Kwithu Kitchen, a women-owned food processing cooperative. In addition to supporting these local organizations, she is actively involved in many civic initiatives to further develop her country, Malawi.


Tokha Manyungwa

A chartered accountant and co-founder of David Hastings Associates (DHA), a firm that provides industry-focused tax accounting, financial management consulting, advisory, grant management, and procurement services to build public trust and enhance value for its clients and their stakeholders. Tokha is a fellow of ACCA, Higher Education Academy of the UK, and a Doctoral Scholar at the University of Durham in the UK.


Elwin C. Sichiola

Mr. Elwin Chiwembu Sichiola who currently works as the Executive Director for TEVETA (Technical, Entrepreneurial and Vocational Education and Training Authority) Malawi. He is a business executive with over 15 years experience working in roles ranging from Executive Management, Finance, Internal Audit and Risk Management and External Audit.

A Fellow of the Association of Chartered and Certified Accountants (FCCA), Elwin also holds an MBA from University of Derby and a BSc in Accountancy from Oxford Brookes University.

A well-known conference speaker, Elwin served as a member of the Board of Trustees of Habitat Humanity Malawi until July 2023 and still serves on the Board of Directors of Corps Africa, an International NGO which operates in Malawi, Senegal, Rwanda and Morocco, amongst other countries.


Peter Yakobe

Peter is a World Bank development economist, an author, and a Senior Vice President for Moja Marketplace. Peter holds a bachelor's degree in Christian Community Leadership from African Bible College, a master's degree in International Development Management from the University of Bradford in the United Kingdom, a second master's degree in Applied Economics from Texas Tech University, and is currently pursuing a PhD. Peter has worked with various local and international organizations including the Centre For Free Market Enterprise, National Youth Council of Malawi, Free Market Institute, the Starbucks Foundation, and the World Bank. He is also a consultant for various organizations in Malawi and abroad including Graca Machel Trust, the Olupona foundation, and Longevity Development just to mention a few. Through his experience in development financing, he has gained a comprehensive understanding of global funding mechanisms, frameworks, and systems. Determined to share this knowledge for the benefit of his country, he authored a book titled Funding Handbook: Navigating Resources with Purpose. Peter is a 2016 Mandela Washington Fellow for the Young African leaders Initiative, and a fellow under the Emerging Leaders Program.