Youth Empowerment and Support Initiative-Malawi

Our Monday Insight from Praise Taonga Jota

Never let your age define your limits. Every stage of life offers a chance to learn, grow, and make a difference. The impact you create tomorrow begins with the confidence you build today.

THE POWER OF FAITH, MENTORSHIP AND PERSEVERANCE

Elijah Chikumba’s story is one of resilience, faith, and the kind of mentorship that quietly changes a life.

Today, he works at the Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM) and also serves as a mentor with the Youth Empowerment Support Initiative (YESI), walking alongside young people as they try to find their own path.

His journey with YESI began over eight years ago. While in Form 2 at Chipoka Secondary School in Salima, Elijah was sent home after failing to pay tuition fees. His father was struggling and was already considering transferring him to the nearby Msalura Community Day Secondary so he could at least walk to school.

It was during that difficult period that he came into contact with YESI. Through a well-wisher connected to the initiative, his secondary school fees were paid, and he was given a chance to return to school.

In 2019, he scored 14 points in his MSCE and was selected to the Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST). But what should have been a moment of celebration quickly turned into worry. University costs weighed heavily on him and his family. At one point, he even considered joining the newly advertised military intake, not out of passion, but because it felt like the only realistic option.

Around that same time, through YESI’s network, a partner stepped in again and committed to fully sponsoring his university education from start to finish. For Elijah, that moment changed everything.

In July 2025, he graduated from MUST with a Bachelor of Science in Renewable Energy Systems Engineering, closing an eight-year journey that carried him from uncertainty to stability.

Looking back, Elijah often says the support was never just about fees. The mentorship, the check-ins, and the encouragement helped him stay grounded, make better decisions, and believe he could actually complete the journey. He now carries those lessons into his role as a YESI mentor.

What he is most proud of is not just the degree, but the chance to now stand as proof to younger students that where you start does not decide where you finish.

His message to students is simple:

“Never underestimate the power of perseverance. Believe that you are capable of achieving your ambitions through hard work and consistency.”

🎓 Celebrating Jack Nyirenda

Jack Nyirenda joined YESI in 2020, driven by a strong desire to give back to his community and contribute to the growth of young people.

Coming from a Community Day Secondary School (CDSS), Jack experienced firsthand not only the challenge of limited learning resources, but also a deeper struggle many students face, the lack of confidence and self-belief shaped by the stereotypes associated with CDSS education. These experiences influenced how he saw himself and others around him at the time.

When he was later selected to university, Jack felt a strong responsibility to do more than just pursue his studies. He was compelled to inspire fellow students from CDSS backgrounds, knowing they could easily relate to his journey because he had once walked in their shoes.

Through YESI, Jack stepped into mentorship, supporting and encouraging other young people to believe in their potential. In turn, his involvement also became a turning point in his own professional development. He joined the media team as a Communications Assistant, an experience he describes as one of the most impactful in his journey.

Through this role, Jack gained exposure to communication work and began developing his ability to translate complex and technical ideas, particularly in economics, into clear and accessible messages. With his prior interest in communications and media, this opportunity became a unique privilege and remains one of the defining experiences of his personal and professional growth.

Looking back, Jack reflects that YESI did not only give him a platform to serve others, but also helped shape his own skills, confidence, and career direction.

“My message to mentees is that they have to believe in themselves, be inquisitive, and be the change they want to see,” he says.

We’re halfway through 2026, but the journey of learning has no finish line.

Every new month is another opportunity to learn, discover, and unlock your potential. Make June a month of growth and new possibilities.

Happy New Month from YESI!

http://www.yesinitiativemw.org

KEVIOUS STONARD’S JOURNEY OF HOPE AND DETERMINATION

Kevious Stonard Stonard grew up in a family of five children raised by a single mother. With limited resources, staying in school was a constant struggle, and at one point, his future seemed uncertain.

Everything changed when he connected with the YES Initiative, which supported him throughout secondary school with tuition fees, school uniform, stationery, and pocket money.

“My mother could not afford my school fees, uniform, stationery, or even pocket money,” Kevious recalls. “YES Initiative gave me hope at a time when I had almost lost it.”

With that support, Kevious completed his MSCE examinations and scored 11 points, earning him a place at the Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (KUHeS), where he is now a second-year student pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Science.

Today, Kevious says his journey reminds him that perseverance and opportunity can change a life.

“Every time I put on my lab coat, I remember where I started,” he says. “Do not let your background define your future. Sometimes one opportunity can change your entire life.”

Kevious hopes to one day use his profession to serve others and become a source of encouragement to young people facing challenges similar to those he once experienced.

His story stands as a reminder of how access to education and timely support can transform lives, restore hope, and create future professionals who will contribute meaningfully to society.

Our Monday insight from our mentor Michael Banda:

Not every meaningful contribution can be measured or displayed . Sometimes the most powerful thing a person can do is pour knowledge, time, and care into others until they begin to believe in themselves too.

Our monday insight from: Elizabeth Mankhwazi

Sometimes all you need is courage to put yourself out there. Opportunities often go to the people brave enough to take the chance, show up, and believe they belong in the room.

Happy Kamuzu Day!

Today’s insight from our YESI mentor, Andrew Khongola :

Most of us feel like we’re always behind because the to-do list never ends. But the real problem isn’t the clock. It’s attention. Ten scattered hours won’t do what one focused hour can.

A proud moment for Msalura!

Msalura CDSS, one of our partner schools, has recorded a historic achievement by sending 32 students to Malawi’s public universities in the just released university selection.

For us at YES Initiative, this is deeply encouraging. Since 2017, we have remained committed to mentoring, inspiring, and motivating young people in Salima to believe in the power of education and to dream beyond their circumstances.

Over the past four years, our mentors have consistently engaged with students at Msalura CDSS through mentorship and motivational sessions aimed at building confidence, ambition, and hope for the future.

While this success belongs first to the students, teachers, parents, and the school leadership, we are proud to have walked part of this journey with them.

This is why we do what we do. One school. One student. One future at a time.

Read the full story below:

Msalura CDSS records historic university breakthrough despite challenges - Malawi24 Msalura Community Day Secondary School has recorded a historic academic breakthrough after 32 students were selected to public universities from the 2025