……….We are not only shaping livelihoods—we are shaping futures.
2025 has been a groundbreaking year for Emerge Livelihoods. We continue to expand our reach with programming areas and resilient communities of Lilongwe, Ntcheu, Nkhata Bay, Mzimba, and Mzuzu. Young people, women, and MSMEs have reshaped the narrative of opportunity. Our journey this year was not just about programs; it was about people. Every initiative embodied resilience: every milestone reflected the courage of communities determined to thrive.
Emerge Livelihoods hosted the Team Europe Initiative Heads of Cooperation, including representatives from the European Union, Germany, Ireland, Flanders, Italy, and UNDP Malawi. The visit highlighted Emerge Livelihoods’ impact since its inception, showcasing incubator facilities, innovative products, and storytelling sessions from various MSMEs involved in the Emerge4Biz program, supported by the EU-funded Zantchito Malawi initiative.
On November 1, 2025, Emerge Livelihoods celebrated its first anniversary, highlighting the transformation, resilience, and community growth that have occurred since its rebranding from Mzuzu Entrepreneur Hub. The event brought together entrepreneurs, innovators, students, and ecosystem partners to reflect on achievements and plan for future impact-driven development. The strategic plan outlines that the inaugural year of a 5-year plan aims to enhance awareness of Emerge Livelihoods and its subsidiaries, successfully achieved during the anniversary celebration.
In August 2025, the inaugural Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Livelihoods Summit 2025 (SELS2025) took place at Kumbali Country Lodge, Lilongwe, gathering entrepreneurs, policymakers, and development partners. Organised by Emerge Livelihoods in collaboration with Village Capital and NORAD under the Empowering Sustainable Entrepreneurship in Africa – ESEA, the summit emphasised the role of Malawi’s Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) as vital contributors to climate resilience and community transformation.
In fulfilling the Digital Transformative Strategy under Emerge Learn, one of the organisation’s key initiatives, a transformative innovation event occurred in Emerge Hub – Mzuzu from August 6th to 8th, 2025: the AI & Data Science Bootcamp, co-hosted by the Segal Family Foundation. The bootcamp engaged 20 participants in a three-day training themed “Empowering Communities through Technology and Education,” focusing on technical training, community impact, and mentorship by aligning with Malawi’s Vision 2063 and policies addressing underserved communities.
At the Malawi National Youth Summit 2025, held on July 2 at BICC, Lilongwe, the Managing Director for Emerge Livelihoods, Ms Wangiwe Joanna Kambuzi, shared the importance of trusting and investing in youth as leaders for economic empowerment and sustainable job creation, vital for Malawi’s transformation. The summit, organised by the National Youth Council of Malawi, gathered over 500 young leaders, innovators, and stakeholders, where she presented as a keynote speaker on a platform for collaboration and future shaping
In June 2025, our team represented Emerge Livelihoods at two significant events in Lilongwe: The Umunthu Social Impact Forum, organised by Thrive Afrika and the ICTAM ICT Expo & Corporate Awards. At the Umunthu Social Impact Forum, Managing Director Wangiwe Joanna Kambuzi and Communications & Marketing Lead Litness Chaima engaged with influential thinkers under the theme “Beyond Aid: Reimagining the Future of Malawi’s Development.
October 2025 saw Emerge Livelihoods host Gender and Inclusion panel discussions under the 10th Afrilabs Annual Gathering in Nairobi, Kenya. Under the She Emerge Initiative, Emerge Livelihoods joined the rest of the gathering in advocating for inclusion by adding voices on the need to reinforce policies and laws that leave no one behind in the development of Africa and the ecosystem at large.
As advocates for digital safe spaces, Emerge Livelihoods joined the rest of the world in commemorating 16 days of activism against gender-based violence under the theme ‘UNiTE to End Digital Violence against All Women and Girls’ at Katoto Ground in Mzuzu. The organization’s commitment is to provide transformative solutions under its various initiatives while protecting women and girls from both physical and online abuse.
2025 ended on a high note as Emerge Livelihoods has been awarded the “Impact Intermediary of the Year” for playing a pivotal role in strengthening Malawi’s enterprise and impact investment ecosystem and contributing to the Malawi 2063, African Union Agenda 2063 and United Nations SDGs. Through delivering bespoke incubation and acceleration under the#Emerge4Biz program, enterprise development initiatives and support to emerging enterprises and ventures, Emerge Livelihoods exemplifies all qualities of an impact intermediary, enabling innovation, private sector dynamism and inclusive economic transformation across multiple sectors.
World University Services of Canada – WUSC, one of our long-time implementing partners, through its Malawi Country Director, Godfrey Mphande, had this to say about the award:
“As a woman- and youth-serving organisation, Emerge Livelihoods supports entrepreneurship, leadership, and digital skills training to promote opportunities in economic participation nationally. Operational for more than 8 years with clear impact reporting, they emphasise evidence-based models and local expertise. They partner with governments, international non-profits, the private sector, and technology firms, enhancing accountability and scalability. Emerge Livelihoods has reached thousands of participants through programs in education, sustainable livelihoods, and climate adaptation. A recognition award can act as a powerful catalyst for Emerge Livelihoods to unlock more investment and high-value partnerships, including increased visibility, access to new networks, and buy-in from the national government and key stakeholders.”
Key Initiatives: She Emerge, Emerge4Biz and Emerge Learn
- Going Beyond Project:Youth leaders were trained and deployed to champion digital business solutions. These leaders became catalysts of innovation, helping MSMEs embrace digital platforms, expand their markets, and tell their stories online.
- Green Jobs for Adolescents and Youth: Seed capital unlocked opportunities for MSMEs in Ntcheu and Mzimba, enabling enterprises to integrate eco-friendly practices and create sustainable employment.
- Entrepreneurship & Sustainable Enterprise Accelerator (ESEA): Early-stage entrepreneurs received mentorship, access to finance, and peer learning platforms. Women entrepreneurs rose to the forefront, scaling their businesses and inspiring others to do the same.
As our Founder and Managing Director, Wangiwe Joanna Kambuzi reflected, Emerge Livelihoods is more than an organisation. It is an ecosystem builder that continues to support MSMEs, youth leaders, and others who are interested in seeing our subsidiaries, Emerge Fund and Emerge Venture, thrive. A transformative journey that has reinterpreted our pathways and approaches, reinvested in our community and refined what impact looks like for every individual, youth groups, and women’s and communities we serve, rewriting their futures with courage and creativity.
Our Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) Coordinator, McDonald Chikusi, says the MEAL strategy is central to the success of Emerge Livelihoods. McDonald emphasises the importance of actively measuring progress to drive solutions rather than merely recognising challenges. This approach facilitates the identification of improvement areas and the implementation of impactful changes. The commitment to accountability and continual learning ensures responsiveness to community needs, evidenced increase in youth-led activity tracking and evaluation. Enhanced accountability frameworks aim to amplify community voices, while an evidence-based approach has led to timely programming adjustments.
Our Program Director, Jonathan Nandolo, highlighted the resilience of MSMEs:
“Partnerships and perseverance remain our strongest currencies.’’ Through collaboration, we can leverage our collective strengths to navigate challenges and seize new opportunities. It is this spirit of unity that will ultimately drive growth and innovation in our sector. Every enterprise we support is a testament to collective action.“
Communications & Marketing Team Lead Litness Chaima says impact is part of storytelling, and the organisation only becomes stronger if it can bring out the stories in a powerful and meaningful way. Storytelling for Emerge Livelihoods became a powerful tool in 2025.
“Impact becomes real when communities see themselves in the narrative. Every caption and every campaign was designed to amplify authentic voices. Through LinkedIn, website, WhatsApp, Facebook, and many platforms, our stories reached thousands, sparking dialogue, pride, and momentum.
OUR IMPACT iN 2025
- As an organisation, our recognition includes “Impact Intermediary of the Year.”
- 19 (14 female and 5 male)—representing73.68% of Female Youth Leadersdriving digital transformation.
- 233 in Mzimba and Ntcheu districts—MSMEs embracing green jobs and climate-smart practices.
- 103 MSMEs and women entrepreneurs scaling through ESEA.
- 1701MSMES on Digital Business Trainings under the Going Beyond Project (Mzimba, Mzuzu, Kasungu and Nkhata-Bay)
- Evidence and storytelling shape strategy and visibility.
2025 marked a significant milestone with the rebrand of Emerge Livelihoods; a bold step that reflects not only a new identity but also the evolving shape of our role in the development space. The restructuring of our programs and systems has strengthened our ability to deliver impact, ensuring that our work remains responsive, inclusive, and transformative. We are humbled by the acceptance of this rebrand and the way it has energised our collective vision. It is a reminder that change, when embraced together, becomes a powerful force for growth.
Looking ahead, our hope is clear: to build a more inclusive year, to deepen our partnerships, and to design better programming that amplifies the voices of youth, women, and MSMEs across Malawi and beyond. We are not only shaping livelihoods—we are shaping futures.
