Madalitso Chipekwe and her university friend Hastings were hitchhiking when a stranger in a BMW changed their lives forever, telling them that agriculture graduates who refuse to farm are the reason Malawi is poor. That blunt conversation sparked Hastings and Mada to form Acades, where, today, they create sustainable livelihoods for youths and food security through skill develpment, financing and agri-tech.

Despite friends dropping out along the way, parents questioning their choices, and supermarkets laughing at their tiny harvests, Madalitso and Hastings kept going, eventually rallying hundreds of young farmers into organised groups with real bargaining power.

In this episode, Madalitso shares how Acades transforms the way young Malawians see farming, from something dirty and hopeless into a viable, even cool, path to prosperity, and how she's determined that Malawi won't miss the AI train the way it missed the Industrial Revolution.

Get Involved!
Learn more about Madalitso's work and how you can support her and Hastings to empower young Malawian farmers at justpeoples.org/leaders/madalitso

Semerian, a Maasai woman, remembers her grandmother’s stories of a time when Maasai pastoralists roamed freely, before the post-colonial era brought sweeping changes to their ancient lifestyle. In this episode, Semerian shares some of the painful shifts Maasai have faced over the past few decades, and how they are working to preserve their rich and vibrant cultural heritage. Beyond these existential challenges, Semerian also highlights the specific obstacles Maasai women face, like early marriages and gender-based poverty, and how she's working to create meaningful change for Maasai women and girls.

Get Involved!
Learn more about Semerian Sankori's work and how you can support her to empower Maasai women here: justpeoples.org/leaders/semerian

Why Give a Buck?
Because with 2,000 USD, Semerian can supply 20 goats to a group of 20 Maasai women. This will allow the women to establish a herd that they can raise and breed helping them to achieve economic independence.

Meet Semerian
Join us on the 3rd of October for an online fireside chat to discuss the power of women in rural Africa, with Semerian and fellow Kenyan entrepreneur Grace Ongong'a. Click for details and registration.

Grace Ongong'a grew up in a typical polygamous family in rural Kenya, with one father, six mothers, and 24 siblings. In Grace's community, girls are expected to leave school as soon as they find a husband, marry young, and start families. But fortunately for Grace, her parents believed in her right to education and independence. After becoming a teacher and spending eight transformative years abroad, Grace returned home on a mission! In this episode Grace describes how she's empowering other women in her hometown to break free from traditional roles, combat domestic violence, and gain skills for self-sufficiency.

Get Involved!
Learn more about Grace Ongong'a's work and how you can support her to empower Kenyan women here: justpeoples.org/leaders/grace

Why Give a Buck?
Because with 6,400 USD Grace can provide business mentorship and microloans to newly-trained entrepreneurs. And with around 44,000 USD, Grace can run her entire skills training academy for a year.