Thirty-one young women at the Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST) can now look beyond the financial strain of university life and focus on the futures they have been working to build.
They have received K71.3 million in scholarships for the 2026/2027 academic year through the MUST Endowment Fund, supporting their studies in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
The first disbursement from the fund was announced on August 6, 2026, during the MUST graduation ceremony attended by university leaders, government officials, graduates and Minister of Education, Science and Technology Bright Msaka.
The scholarship targets young women pursuing STEM programmes and is intended to provide sustainable financial support to deserving MUST students.
Illovo Sugar Malawi Human Resources Director Khumbo Ntambo-Banda said financial hardship should not prevent talented young women from reaching their potential.
“This is more than a scholarship. It is an investment in talent, in opportunity, and in the belief that a young woman’s potential should never be limited simply because her family cannot afford university fees,” she said.
Illovo Sugar Malawi has invested K500 million in the MUST Endowment Fund since 2023.
The company initially contributed K150 million before adding K250 million and a further K100 million, bringing its total investment to K500 million.
The company said the initiative is aimed at widening access to STEM education while helping strengthen Malawi’s future pool of skilled professionals.
As an employer in engineering, agriculture and manufacturing, Illovo said developing STEM talent is important for the country’s industries and wider economy.
It also said investment in women’s education can help create more diverse workplaces, encourage innovation and contribute to stronger business outcomes.
The 31 beneficiaries could eventually join Malawi’s workforce as skilled professionals in STEM-related fields, including the sugar sector and other industries.
The ceremony also marked the conclusion of Professor Address Mauakowa Malata’s 10-year tenure as MUST Vice Chancellor.
Ntambo-Banda credited Malata with helping to establish the partnership between MUST and Illovo that resulted in the creation of the endowment fund.
She said Malata understood that talent alone was not enough when financial hardship prevented capable students from entering or completing university.
The K71.3 million first payout marks the beginning of the fund’s long-term support for deserving students.
