NAMA launches ‘Spark to Success’ to empower women in Malawi

October 27, 2025 / 1:51 PM

Sharjah24: Through Spark to Success, NAMA introduces a transformative model that moves beyond aid to create self-sustaining opportunities. Over the next two years, 200 women in Zomba will receive vocational training in industries identified for their long-term economic potential and community benefit. Each participant will gain access to seed capital and personalised mentorship, supporting the launch of at least 100 new enterprises and benefiting over 1,200 individuals, including family members and dependents.

The programme also includes an integrated financial literacy and career development track, covering budgeting, savings, CV writing, and interview skills, ensuring that participants are not only skilled but also employable.

Community-driven change for sustainable growth

Local engagement is central to the initiative. By involving community leaders and training centres, Spark to Success ensures its benefits extend beyond participants — strengthening families, creating jobs, and fostering resilient local economies. Structured around three pillars — community engagement, skills development and entrepreneurship, and career readiness — the programme aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals on gender equality, decent work, and poverty reduction.

“This initiative reflects one of NAMA’s core pillars: investing in community capacities and advancing women’s roles as a foundation for sustainable progress,” said Her Excellency Mariam Al Hammadi, Director General of NAMA Women Advancement. “Through our partnership with The Sparkle Foundation, every skill learned and every business launched becomes a catalyst for generational change.”

A blueprint for inclusive economic progress

Sarah Brook, Founder and CEO of The Sparkle Foundation, said: “Empowering women in rural Africa is not a handout, but a hand up — built on trust, shared vision, and belief in women’s capacity to lead. With NAMA’s partnership, we’re transforming vision into measurable impact for the communities we serve.”

By combining training, entrepreneurship, and access to finance, Spark to Success provides a replicable model for inclusive, community-led empowerment. The launch in Malawi represents the latest chapter in NAMA’s international mission, following impactful initiatives across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East that promote women’s inclusion, leadership, and economic participation.