Lilongwe CBO leader wins Total Malawi contest
Lilongwe-based community-based organisation leader Stephen Chiunjira on Tuesday emerged the champion of the Total Malawi Startupper Competition which challenged young Malawians to come up with innovative business ideas.
Chiunjira came first with a project being implemented by a CBO he runs called Our World through which communities in Lilongwe are being supported with solutions on waste management.
He carted home K5.5 million and could not hide his excitement in an interview after the contest.
“I thank God for making me a winner,” said Chiunjira.
The inventor of the famous Padoko bicycle phone charger, Mixon Faluweki, came second and won K3.3 million from Total Malawi.
Faluweki is a staff associate at the Malawi University of Science and Technology.
Benedicto Benson from Mchinji was third with his project ‘Ndagha Sustainable Foods’ which seeks to address food security challenges in the country through irrigation farming.
Total Malawi managing director Seggie Kistasamy said a total of 64 projects entered the promotion of which 24 met the requirements.
“We are happy with the way the contest has been conducted though we would have expected more entries considering Malawi’s population of 16 million,” he said.
Honorary patron of the competition Jimmy Koreia Mpatsa advised the youth to venture into businesses which they enjoy doing.
“If you like what you do, you are bound to succeed. Again make sure that the quality of products you put on the market is second to none,” said Mpatsa.
The Startupper contest was initiated by Total in 33 countries to empower the youth through entrepreneurship support.
