In communities across Malawi, young women are beginning to see their futures through a new lens, one shaped by skills, ambition, and economic independence.
At the centre of this transformation is the Girls Shine Foundation, a grassroots initiative that is training girls in technical trades once reserved for men. From welding to tailoring, carpentry to computers, these skills are changing how girls see themselves, and how society sees them.
Founded in 2021 by Diversion Satha, the Foundation began as an arts-based empowerment project, using drama, poetry, and storytelling to engage girls and discourage harmful behaviours such as early marriage. But it quickly became clear that inspiration needed to be matched with opportunity.
“We realised many of the girls we reached had finished school but had nothing to do,” Satha says. “So we introduced hands-on skills that would allow them to build their own futures.”
Since pivoting in 2023, the Foundation has trained 193 girls in trades like joinery, welding, tailoring, and basic computing. Many are now running their own small businesses or earning a living through local employment, an outcome that speaks to the project’s impact.
Currently, 67 girls are enrolled in the latest phase. Selection comes through school clubs, churches, traditional leaders, and direct community outreach. With no formal funding, the initiative is kept alive by proceeds from Satha’s farming business, modest fees from parents, and local goodwill. Training takes place in a church building, and artisans from the community volunteer to teach.
Among the learners is 19-year-old Grace Jentala from Msundwe, Lilongwe. After finishing secondary school, she joined the welding and fabrication programme. “It’s only been two weeks, but I already see a future in this,” she says. “I want to be one of the best welders in Malawi.”
Noria Emmanuel, also 19, agrees. “People still think welding is for men,” she says. “That’s why I’m here, to prove them wrong.”
Veteran welder Senior Group Kanyemba, who mentors girls at his Mtandire workshop, says the shift is long overdue. “These girls are serious and hardworking. Some are already doing better than boys. It’s time we stop underestimating them.”
For Satha, the vision is bigger than the tools or the trades. He wants to build a permanent training centre and help more girls escape cycles of dependency and early marriage.
“Girls’ eyes are opening to what’s possible,” he says. “And once they see it, there’s no turning back.”
