Youth-Led, AI-Powered Synthesis Think Tank
Creating the Malawi We Want (Deserve)
Malawi Wathu is committed to becoming a cornerstone of youth participation in national development by providing data, insight, and forward-thinking recommendations to guide both policymakers and grassroots actors.
INTRODUCING THE LEADERSHIP TEAM
President: Stacey Mdala
Stacey Mdala is a policy advocate and youth leader with a strong background in gender and social accountability. She holds a Bachelor of Social Science in Gender Studies from the University of Malawi and currently serves as a Community Scorecard Consultant with CARE International Malawi.
She is also a member of the UN Women Youth Steering Committee for the East and Southern Africa Regional Office (ESARO), where she represents Malawi in high-level strategic youth consultations. In 2024, Stacey delivered a youth statement during the 68th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68) in New York, amplifying the call for youth inclusion in policy and development spaces.
As President of Malawi Wathu, Stacey provides visionary leadership rooted in grassroots advocacy, policy systems analysis, and gender-inclusive governance.
Vice President: Jack Nyirenda
Jack Nyirenda is a final-year Development Economics student at Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR) and the current President of the Bunda Economics Association.
He is also a member of the EU Youth Sounding Board in Malawi, where he advises the European Union Delegation on youth engagement and programming. Jack is the founder and lead writer of Ndizotheka Insights, a policy blog exploring macroeconomic issues, youth development, climate finance, and inclusive policy in Malawi.
With a focus on evidence-driven impact, Jack leads Malawi Wathu’s research agenda, policy analysis teams, and cross-sectoral collaboration efforts.
Secretary: Amina Alidi
Amina Alidi is an emerging youth leader in the fields of mental health, education, and development policy. She currently serves as Vice President of the UNFPA Malawi Youth Advisory Panel and is a Youth Advisor to the European Union Delegation in Malawi.
Amina co-founded Common Path, a youth-led initiative based in Mangochi, which promotes mental health awareness, youth empowerment, and local development. She is known for her calm leadership and ability to navigate complex stakeholder environments.
As Secretary of Malawi Wathu, Amina plays a central role in coordinating inter-institutional communications, overseeing internal governance, and documenting strategic activities.
Director of AI Integration: Nomsa Faith Nungu
Nomsa Faith Nungu is a tech-driven youth leader with a unique cross-disciplinary background in Business Information Technology and International Relations. She earned her undergraduate degree from the Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST) and is currently pursuing a Master’s in International Relations at Yeungnam University in South Korea, under the prestigious Park Chung Hee Policy and Saemaul Program.
Nomsa has presented at Deep Learning Indaba 2023, where she introduced AI-based solutions for women’s safety and empowerment in urban Malawi. Her work explores how artificial intelligence and civic technology can be leveraged for policy design, safety, and digital inclusion.
As Director of AI Integration, Nomsa leads the development of Malawi Wathu’s AI-powered research infrastructure, overseeing digital toolsets, data visualization platforms, and future-oriented innovation strategies.
Director of Policy Strategy: Alex Chang’ono
Alex Chang’ono is a Development Economics student at LUANAR and Malawi’s 2025 UN ECOSOC Youth Delegate, where he represented the country at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. He also serves as a Youth Advisor with UNFPA Malawi, focusing on partnerships and resource mobilization.
Alex brings experience in grassroots youth programming and national-level policy engagement. His focus on macroeconomic stabilization, youth-led innovation, and debt reform is evident in his co-authorship of the Malawi Economic Recovery Plan Policy Brief.
As Policy Strategy Lead at Malawi Wathu, Alex guides the design of strategic policy frameworks, stakeholder alignment, and the development of thought leadership content tied to Malawi 2063 and MIP-1.
Director of Data & Research: Kisha German
Kisha German is a Malawian data scientist and youth advocate passionate about using statistics and computing to influence policy and social transformation. A graduate of the Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (MUBAS), where she earned her BSc in Mathematical Sciences Education, Kisha brings a rare blend of technical rigor and social consciousness to development work.
She currently serves as a Development Intern at Salzburg Global Seminar, where she contributes to international programming and research, and as a Youth Advisor to the EU Delegation in Malawi. Her advocacy portfolio includes youth engagement with the WHO, Restless Development, and the International Data Alliance for Children on the Move (IDAC), focusing on migration, displacement, and violence prevention through data.
As Data & Research Lead at Malawi Wathu, Kisha oversees evidence generation, research synthesis, and the think tank’s AI integration roadmap. Her global exposure, deep technical knowledge, and commitment to youth-led accountability make her a strategic force in shaping Malawi’s development future through insight-driven leadership.
Director of Research & Education: Lisa Kampata
Lisa Kampata is an Agricultural Economics student at LUANAR with a strong interest in trade, climate-smart education, and economic equity. She has interned with the Malawi Ministry of Education and serves as a volunteer with Tusen Generations, supporting inclusive learning systems.
Lisa’s undergraduate research explores the relationship between trade liberalization and employment generation in Malawi, and she was selected as a virtual delegate to the World Bank Youth Summit in 2025. She co-authored the Malawi Economic Recovery Plan Policy Brief, focusing on structural reforms and youth capacity-building.
As Research & Education Lead, Lisa oversees research quality, data use, and youth training initiatives within Malawi Wathu, helping bridge academia, advocacy, and national development goals.
Director of Publicity and Coordination: Godfrey Malongo Jnr
Godfrey Malongo Jnr is a youth communicator, storyteller, and public health advocate with a keen focus on strategic communication for social change. He is affiliated with Youth Wave Malawi, where he has contributed to national initiatives under the Power to Youth program and the Changemakers Movement.
Godfrey is also active in youth advisory networks, including EU-related youth policy platforms, where he amplifies issues around SRHR (Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights), mental health, and youth inclusion. He is a frequent contributor to community storytelling campaigns and digital advocacy tools.
As Director of Publicity, Godfrey leads Malawi Wathu’s digital strategy, public relations, media engagement, and publication visibility—both locally and globally.
Collective Vision
Malawi Wathu is an initiative of the Kwathu Kollective, an education trust dedicated to empowering youth to use creativity and innovation as tools for development through strategic advocacy.
Together, this inaugural leadership team embodies the future of Malawian policy innovation: bold, inclusive, data-informed, and technology-driven. Their shared commitment to the Malawi 2063 agenda, MIP-1, and youth-led accountability positions Malawi Wathu to become a catalytic voice in national and continental development.
