Unicaf University in Malawi Presents the 6th Open Lecture Event

Unicaf University in Malawi hosted the Open Lecture “Investment V Empowerment, how can everyone win on their own terms?” on March 29^th 2018, in its state-of-the-art campus in Lilongwe. The lecture was presented by Sarah Lindeire, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Tingathe Non-Governmental Organisation.

Mrs. Lindeire was identified by the British Council as an influential young person at age 19, and had the privilege of travelling the world in her capacity as a Global Change Maker. After graduating from University, she worked with a number of NGOs, like UN Women, and at the age of 21 she was named 86^th most influential woman in the World, from Women Deliver. She later co-founded with her husband the non-governmental organisation, which works with vulnerable young people, who drop out of school, teaching them how to build ‘wealth that sticks’, through holistic vocational training, job placements etc. Sarah believes that socioeconomic wellbeing comes from deliberate and active collaborations, and that people’s lives are positively transformed by building ‘wealth that sticks’.

She described the issue of individual change as important to development. She also emphasised the need to rethink the ways of empowering people in developing countries, to ensure that they become self-sufficient through this empowerment. She suggested that individuals can be empowered through investment, increased access to economic opportunities and support of beneficial entrepreneurial policies. Mrs Lindeire called for an increased investment in young people through the provision of quality education, of the level Unicaf University provides. She also emphasised the need for innovation in education. For empowerment to be successful, she added, there has to be universal access to information, social inclusion, participation, accountability, access to resources and a deliberate and focused cohesion between governments, the private sector and civil society organisations.

Answering questions from the audience she said that the ecosystem Unicaf University has is great in building cohesion through extra-curricular activities like the Open Lectures, which help, not only students but every interested individual, to connect with people who have great ideas and have achieved important goals, learning from their experiences and networking with them to their own advantage. Education, added Mrs Lindeire is a key pillar of empowerment, along with information and innovative thinking.

Speaking about the empowerment of women she stressed the need to come together as a large and important social group, to increase the power of their voice.

After the lecture Mrs Lindeire spoke to members of the media who attended the event.