Madalitso Chipekwe
Turning youth unemployment into rural enterprise — from the soil up
Malawi
In Malawi, poverty and unemployment go hand in hand—especially for young people growing up in rural communities. With over 75% of the population under 35 and limited job opportunities outside of farming, youth unemployment is around 60%. But even agriculture, the most accessible path, often fails them. Without access to finance, markets, or training, many young people are stuck in a cycle of poverty, struggling to feed their families on less than a dollar a day.
Madalitso refused to accept that future—not for herself, and not for others like her. After university, she and a group of friends tried their hand at farming, only to face the same barriers that keep so many young people locked out of opportunity. But when one local farmer they supported earned $150 in a single season, word spread—and a spark was lit. Madalitso realised the solution they were building could reach far beyond their own fields.
Since then, she’s helped transform that early idea into a movement. Her grassroots organisation equips young Malawians with the knowledge, tools, and resources to turn agriculture into a sustainable, dignified livelihood. Through group-based training in agribusiness, production, saving, and mindset, followed by access to input loans and secure markets, young people begin to grow their income—and their confidence.
To scale this work, Madalitso and her team launched AI Farmer, a first-of-its-kind tool that uses local language AI to support farmers with instant, tailored guidance. With plans to integrate voice functionality, the tool is making agricultural knowledge more accessible than ever.
Madalitso’s vision is bold: to reach one million young people across Malawi, helping them move from survival to stability, from hand-to-mouth to leading change in their own communities. Her work is more than farming—it’s about dignity, justice, and the power of young people to drive a new future from the ground up.
This is what homegrown, people-powered development looks like—and it’s already transforming lives.
Placeholder for Madalitso’s work photo
Placeholder for Madalitso’s work photo
Make a donation for Madalitso to use where it’s needed most
Contact jo@justpeoples.org to learn more about how you can support Madalitso’s work.