Ida Puliwa Mwango has dedicated her life to transforming communities and improving countless lives.
She is the founder and executive director of the Othakarhaka Foundation, which means “Passing on the Kindness.” Her inspiring journey of dedication and impact has been recognised globally.
As the first girl from Nakhonyo Village in Senior Chief Mkanda’s area in Mulanje to study at public university, Mwango founded the Othakarhaka Foundation to empower rural communities and promote girls’ education, she told ProjectM.
Her initiative was inspired by the generosity of a stranger who supported her education.
“My education journey is a story of kindness. My parents struggled to pay for my tertiary education at the Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (MUBAS), formerly known as Malawi Polytechnic, until a woman from the United States, Marquita Hill, came to my aid,” explained Mwango.
Marquita encouraged her to work hard and made her promise to support at least one person in need from her village after graduating. This promise became the foundation of Mwango’s life’s work.
Before completing her studies, Mwango launched the Othakarhaka initiative, initially facing rejection from her community. However, over time, the positive impact of her work gained recognition, enabling her to expand her outreach.
The Othakarhaka Foundation, headquartered near Chambe Secondary School in Mulanje, has supported numerous boys and girls in secondary and tertiary education through full bursaries.
In addition to education, the foundation runs a free community clinic, a feeding programme and builds houses for homeless families.
Mwango’s efforts stem from her observations of children in rural areas dropping out of school due to financial struggles. Many of these children, especially girls, face early marriages and pregnancies.
Over the past 12 years, her foundation has provided bursaries to over 1,500 students for secondary education.
Some have advanced to higher education institutions such as MUBAS, the University of Malawi, LUANAR, MZUNI, KUHES, and various nursing and technical colleges.
“Every year, students from disadvantaged families take entrance exams at Othakarhaka, and we select the brightest for our scholarship program. This year, 152 candidates sat for the exams, and we will support their secondary education,” explained Mwango.
Many former beneficiaries of the foundation have excelled and are now contributing to their communities. Some have even returned to work with Othakarhaka, demonstrating the long-term impact of the programme.
Mwango works alongside over 6,800 community volunteers and chiefs from 64 villages. Together, they identify beneficiaries and support various foundation activities. Apart from education, Othakarhaka focuses on community development, health, food security and environmental conservation.
The foundation promotes irrigation farming and has provided over 12,000 beneficiaries with maize seeds and fertilizers since 2013.
Beneficiaries donate 10 percent of their harvests to support orphans and the elderly through the feeding programme.
Othakarhaka also leads an agroforestry initiative, distributing free seedlings to communities for planting along riverbanks and in home compounds. This helps combat climate change and environmental degradation.
Other initiatives include adult literacy classes, a vocational training centre for young people, a community library, and a solar-powered computer lab for rural schools.
Following Cyclone Freddy in 2023, which left many families homeless, Othakarhaka partnered with IDI Africa to construct two houses every month for affected families. The beneficiaries include widows, grandmothers, and child-headed households.
Mwango’s work was recognised on an international stage. She was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the African Humanitarian Awards in Lagos, Nigeria.
“This recognition shows that my efforts are appreciated not just in Malawi but globally,” said Mwango.
Her organisation relies on support from local and international donors, including I Demand Access, the University of Michigan, K2 Foundation and Peacework International.
“I am actively seeking more donors to provide tertiary education opportunities for students and sustain other programs. Supporting students through secondary education is vital, but helping them access tertiary education is even more crucial for unlocking their potential,” she added.
In a WhatsApp interview, the African Humanitarian Awards, Programme lead Samuel Akinyemi, Programme praised Mwango’s contributions.
“Her efforts in food distribution, medical outreach and free healthcare are saving many lives. We are proud to honour her,” he said.
Other recipients of awards at the event included Her Excellency Dr. Jewel Howard-Taylor of Liberia, recognised for her dedication to empowering women and girls in Africa.
In addition to the Lifetime Achievement Award, Mwango has received several other accolades, including the Mandela Washington Fellowship Hall of Fame recognition, the Best Community Social Service Promoter Award, the Girl Child Empowerment Award by Royal Arts Malawi, and the Exemplar for Positive Social Change Award from the University of Southern California.
She has also been honoured with the Most Impactful Initiative Award from the Sisonke Pan-African Competition through Old Mutual and the Her Africa Ubuntu Leadership Fellowship in Nairobi, Kenya.
