Empowering young women through Food for Life

Through the Food for Life initiative, Scouting in Malawi is empowering young women to achieve financial independence and build sustainable livelihoods. Under the Plant, Grow, Share, and Sustain project, the Scout Association of Malawi has trained and equipped more than 20 young women with practical skills in sustainable farming, enabling them to become active contributors to food production, household income, and community resilience.

One of these young women is Dollah Sitima, a Scout and young mother from Mchinji District, a border area where livelihoods largely depend on small-scale, rain-fed subsistence farming. In 2025, Dollah was part of the first cohort of young Scouts trained under the Plant, Grow, Share, and Sustain project in Lilongwe.

After completing the training, Dollah applied her new skills by starting a vegetable garden in her backyard. What began as a small garden quickly became a reliable source of nutritious food for her family. Recognising her commitment and potential, the project team selected Dollah to receive seed funding, which she used to expand her vegetable production and sell surplus produce within her community.

Like many young women in rural Malawi, Dollah previously had limited access to alternative income-generating opportunities. Through Food for Life, she gained not only farming skills but also confidence and a renewed sense of purpose. “Food for Life has empowered me as a young woman,” she said, noting how the training helped her change perceptions of what women can achieve in her community.

With income earned from vegetable sales, Dollah took another important step toward self-reliance. She secured a piece of land where she now grows maize for both household consumption and sale. Her progress has inspired other young women, whom she encourages to embrace farming as a pathway to independence. “I encourage my fellow young women to take up farming. It can help us become self-sustaining, support our families, and do better in life,” she said.

The Food for Life initiative in Malawi is delivering impact beyond training alone. By addressing food insecurity, gender inequality, and limited livelihood opportunities, the project is enabling young women like Dollah to build resilient futures for themselves, their families, and their communities.