Women with innovative ideas have been challenged to step forward and take their place as leaders in innovation, with experts warning that Malawi cannot unlock its full potential while female innovators continue to face barriers to funding, mentorship and opportunities.
The call came on Friday during the Women’s Innovation Day, organised by the Malawi Liverpool Wellcome Research Programme (MLW) as part of Innovation Week under the theme “Empowering Women to Drive Innovation.”
The event brought together women from science, technology, agriculture, health, finance and entrepreneurship to discuss how to build a stronger pipeline of female innovators.
“The main agenda is to empower women who are passionate about innovation, whether in technology, finance, agriculture or any other field,” said MLW Head of Innovation and Translation, Dr Alice Mbewe Mtalimanja.
Mtalimanja said the event was informed by findings from a national survey which revealed that many women struggle to access funding, mentorship and knowledge on issues such as intellectual property.
“We found gaps in funding, mentorship and understanding of innovation. Bringing women together creates collaborations that can begin to close those gaps,” she said.
Mtalimanja said women have the potential to lead innovation but need stronger support systems.
“Innovation spaces are often male dominated, but women can be at the forefront. We need to create opportunities for mentorship and financing so they can thrive,” she said.
She also encouraged young women to seek guidance from experienced professionals while mentoring others in return.
Guest speaker Professor Address Malata, Vice Chancellor of the Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST), said successful innovators must have a clear vision and purpose.
“Without a vision, people simply follow what others are doing. Innovation requires focus, collaboration and determination to solve real problems affecting people’s lives,” she said.
Malata described this year’s Women Innovation Day as an important platform for building future female innovators who will, in turn, inspire and mentor others.
She also challenged long-held stereotypes that portray science and technology as careers for men.
“Women can do what men can do. We must begin encouraging girls from an early age to believe they belong in science, engineering and technology,” she said.
Reflecting on her leadership journey at MUST, Malata said the university’s growth from a few academic programmes to more than 70 programmes demonstrated what can be achieved through teamwork and purposeful leadership.
She further urged women to support one another instead of engaging in unhealthy competition.
“There will never be another Address Malata. Don’t compete to become someone else. Compete to become a better version of yourself while creating opportunities for other women to succeed,” she said.
Biomedical engineer Brenda Mwalughali, one of the participants, said the discussions had reinforced the importance of collaboration in transforming ideas into practical solutions.
“Having an idea is one thing, but implementing it is difficult. You need a vision, support from others and an understanding that innovation is about improving the lives of communities,” she said.
The Innovation Week is an annual event that began three years ago. This year’s edition is being held under the theme “Beyond Discovery: Creating a Future of Health Innovations,” focusing on translating research and ideas into innovations that improve people’s lives.
