Meet the Team
Tiwale is a youth-led community-based organization. We are all driven by a strong thirst to realize our vision of a Malawi and Africa with equal learning opportunities.
Chmba Ellen Chilemba
Founder & Music Prod. Educator
Chmba is an education and communications expert having consulted for bodies such as the United Nations, Global Citizen, and hosted workshops at Duke University, Mount Holyoke College & University of the Pacific.
She is passionate about Africa’s past, present, and future, fighting injustice and leveling human rights for all!
Chmba started Tiwale at 17 years-old to end the vicious cycle of child marriage in Malawi. For her work, She's been named a Forbes’ Africa 30 Under 30, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Goalkeeper, Glamour Magazine’s College Woman of the Year, Ashoka Future Forward Winner, Global Citizen Youth Advocate, One Young World Ambassador, Commonwealth Awardee for Excellence in Development and a University of the Pacific Powell Emerging Leader.
Chmba is also a music producer, DJ, and artist.
Patuma Patricia Chisalika
Educator, Programs & Logistics Lead
Patuma is currently studying Public Health at the University of Polytechnic. She is also a teacher with Montessori, jolly phonics, and is First Aid certified. Patuma finds joy in teaching and interactions with diverse communities, she is at home during Tiwale gatherings. She believes young women in Malawi just need a small push towards their dreams to bring total transformation to their communities.
In her free time, Patuma enjoys swimming and farming. Her father is her farming inspiration, and she hopes to one day have a farm of local chickens.
Patuma is also dedicated to supporting Malawi’s orphanages, constantly volunteering hours each week.
Dalitso Chiusiwa
Health Educator & Operations Lead
Dalitso is a Social Worker, Mental health advocate, Avid writer, and Art Enthusiast, with a degree in Social work. She has a passion for harnessing the power of creativity to foster development and empowering women. Tiwale gives her the opportunity to use mental health advocacy to empower young girls and women to take control of their lives by becoming more aware of the different patterns that hinder their progress. Along with being involved in the process of using art to change lives. Her goal is to create a welcoming learning environment where people can be comfortable being vulnerable and not be afraid to make mistakes. She is inspired by Tiwale’s mission and longs to see a generation of free-thinkers who are brave enough to pursue every unconventional dream, because nothing is impossible.
DJ Shortie aka Gladys Jani
Organizer & DJ Educator
DJ Shortie aka Gladys Madalitso Jani is a Malawian DJ who has been active professionally since 2016, after scooping third place at the National Carlsberg Chill DJ Competition.
Growing up around DJ brothers sparked her interest, and she picked up some starting skills, then her passion expanded after taking a class with DJ Fox and DJ Chili (female radio presenters and DJs) in Zimbabwe.
She studied Accounting and Finance at Blantyre International University in Malawi,
Post-graduation when she started working as an accountant at Solar Works in Lilongwe, Malawi, Shortie continued DJing events at night. Shortie is a resident DJ at Living Room. In 2020, she was one of the nominees by IJA Malawi for DJ Of The Year .
Shortie is ecstatic to share her skills teaching DJing at Tiwale, noting, “You dont have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.”
Vanessa Kalogwire
Organizer & Art Educator
Vanessa Kalogwire is a creative visual artists, business woman and a professional administrator, with a degree in business administration. She has a passion for building children and the youth. Tiwale gives her an opportunity to share her art skills and knowledge for youth empowerment. She has battled with different challenges growing up, therefore she has an understanding of how certain challenges hinder the Malawian youth community from succeeding in the country. She is very optimistic that Tiwale will change lives of many and it will bring a positive impact to the generations to come.
Vanessa loves to go to church, renovate and innovate her hair-dos, travel, sing, cook , learn new things and explore the world in her free time
El-shaddai Masauli
Organizer & STEM Educator
El is a passionate social entrepreneur, studying community development and writing music and poetry in her spare time. Having lost both her parents at a young age, she’s lived and understands the pressure of forced social-economic independence as a child. She loves being around children especially those made vulnerable because “they are free spirited and sharing my life experiences would hopefully encourage them to unlock their full potential without waiting for someone to assist them all the time.” She understands the struggle of being part of the Malawian society and how dreams can be suppressed by that.
She wants to build communities where you can have fun while learning something critical, she’s excited about the blooming impact of this generation and wants to contribute to building that.
Karen Takondwa Mchakulu
Entrepreneurship Educator
After attaining her Bachelor’s degree in business at Monash University in South Africa, Karen decided to return home to Malawi to help build the economy and give back. From her business background, she wanted to join an organization with a sustainable model but also with a core focus on impact and community transformation.
She was “thrilled” when she found Tiwale and instantly became a part of the family. Karen is a bubbly, outgoing, she enjoys spending time with young people because she believes it keeps her “cool”. With an easy-going attitude Karen is known amongst our community as the comical one, constantly sparking unique approaches for our programs. Karen loves social media and is on the road to becoming TikTok famous, so watch out world!
Madeline Brown (US Based)
Outreach & Growth Strategist
Madeline lives in Washington, DC and works as a research fellow at a non-profit focused on electoral reform called FairVote. She holds a Bachelors in Political Science with a minor in Spanish from Emory University. Committed to social justice, equal opportunity and women's empowerment, Madeline has been inspired by Tiwale's mission and work since meeting Chmba in 2012. She hopes to use her knowledge of non-profit structure and development as well as her creative spirit to help Tiwale grow and evolve. In her spare time, Madeline teaches cycling classes, knits, and listens to many podcasts.
Esther Phiri
Salima Community Educator
After completing her education at a Teacher Training College in Kasungu, Esther Phiri went on to become an English Teacher in Salima. Upon hearing about Tiwale’s work with girls and women she was inspired to join the movement as it aligns with her hopes of instilling a spirit of independence in girls and women. She enjoys working with Tiwale as she also learns so much from her peers, in the process of teaching and interacting with them. One thing she hopes to achieve through her work with Tiwale is to raise a generation of women and girls whose goal in life “is not only to be a housewife” but women who are able to stand on their own and depend on themselves.
Lydia Tembo
Sanitary Pad-making Educator
Lydia Tembo is a Tiwale success-story, she initially began as a student in a program with Tiwale, learning how to sew. This eventually allowed her to start her own businesses using the skills gained. She grew up and was educated in Nkhotakota, where she made it as far as standard 7. She is passionate about motivational speaking and enjoys interacting with younger girls and women, with the intention of empowering them to stay in school or believe in their abilities. She enjoys working with Tiwale because it has helped her with her self-esteem, allowing her to believe that as a woman she can do anything and become anything, in spite of what her initial circumstances looked like. Her hope is that through the work she does with Tiwale, she can empower girls to go on to colleges and become, doctors, nurses, mechanics, electricians, and the list goes on.
Alice Chilemba
FOREVER IN OUR MEMORIES
Alice Chilemba was a business person with over 20 years of experience. She ran multiple businesses across Malawi in fashion, food service, transportation, delivery service, wholesale and retail, and farming. She joined Tiwale in 2014 founding the skills development programs. She taught tye dying, sewing, and ran fashion skills workshops.
As "a strong woman," she joined Tiwale to see other women becoming stronger and more independent in life. She is known as our community mother and is the mother to the founder, Chmba.