* I had no idea that our Mulanje district keeps such a simple-looking, humble, and yet powerfully unstoppable woman
* Through the Othakarhaka, over 3,000 students have received bursaries and also transforming communities
* Through healthcare, youth skills development, sustainable agriculture, and housing support for the most vulnerable
* As Othakarhaka welcomes two volunteers from the US with a shared passion for economic development and meaningful community impact in rural areas
By Duncan Mlanjira
The modest and humble demeanor of Founder and Executive Director of Othakarhaka Foundation, Ida Puliwa-Mwango has been described by an observer as “greatness that does not always announce itself with noise”.
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Writing on his LinkedIn platform, Chisomo Beatman says he met Puliwa-Mwanga whom he had not known before from Nakhonyo Village in Mulanje, who addressed students at a Students Christian Organisation of Malawi (SCOM) Conference held at Mulanje Secondary School in April 2026.
“And honestly I had no idea that our district carries such a simple-looking, humble, and yet powerfully unstoppable woman,” he wrote. “She did not stand behind a podium to impress us with titles or certificates.
“She stood to tell us her story – how a girl from a small village in Mulanje is now sharing her foundation’s model with universities across the United States of America.
“Through the Othakarhaka — Passing on the Kindness — over 3,000 students have received bursaries. They are also transforming communities through healthcare, youth skills development, sustainable agriculture, and housing support for the most vulnerable.
“All from a village. All starting small. All because one person decided to pass on the kindness,” he said, adding that Puliwa-Mwanga did not just speak to the girls but extended her motivation speech to the boys too.
“She told us that our stories are not finished — that where we come from is not a curse but a launching pad; that with hope, faith, and action, our own villages can produce global changemakers.
“I left that conference feeling something I had almost forgotten: belief — the belief that someone from Mulanje can go anywhere; belief that small actions, done consistently, create waves.
“Belief that one day, my own story might inspire someone else sitting in a dusty school hall, wondering if their life matters.
“Thank you, Ida Puliwa-Mwango, for showing us that kindness, passed on, becomes a movement.”
Othakarhaka — Lhomwe for ‘passing on the kindness’ — came into media prominence July-2021-after-winning-Old-Mutuals-Sisonke-Mini-Video-Documentary-Competition’s-grand-prize-of-k5-5m, which was launched to create awareness and to inspire collective action to mitigate, minimise and manage CoVID-19 and its effects.
Since then Puliwa-Mwango has been locally recognised with awards, including Young-Achievers-Award-of-Excellence, though she carries out her charity with deafening silent along with her very supportive husband, Ted Mwango.
She has been highly featured on Maravi-Express along with Zodiak Online highlighting how grassroots initiatives can transform communities and expand opportunities for girls’ education.
On Othakarhaka LinkedIn platform, the Foundation announced the arrival of two international volunteers from the US, Craig Reiley and Bradley Popovich — recent dual Masters graduates from the University of Michigan-School for Environment & Sustainability.
Othakarhaka announced that the two join them “with a shared passion for economic development and meaningful community impact in rural areas”.
“Their time with us goes beyond volunteering. They have already supported early fundraising efforts for a charcoal-making machine and digital infrastructure initiatives aimed at strengthening education and technology in our communities.
“They also arrived with laptops for some of our university students from Kamuzu University of Health Sciences and Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (MUBAS).
“This marks the beginning of what we hope will grow into a long-term partnership focused on advancing the work of Othakarhaka and creating sustainable opportunities that will continue to benefit communities for years to come.
“It is a pleasure to have them with us, and we are grateful for the generosity, ideas, and commitment they bring.”
Several other volunteers-from-the-University-of-Michigans-MBA-programme have toured Othakarhaka, which are exchange visits as Puliwa-Mwango also visits the university to deliver speeches.
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