A surprise feature from
@ttybrandafrica
The most delightful part being that I was not interviewed at all for this piece. Everything published is as is in the public domain — the power of digital footprints.
Full article:
I think your twenties are for figuring it out. I think it’s the first time you have access to freedom and resources - your autonomy; and I think you should take your time figuring out what you like. Travel, try new things, love different people, be a good friend. Figure it out.
For graduation day in Secondary School, we had to dress up as our aspiration.
I dressed up as Malawian news anchor Angel Chima, saying I wanted to work in the media. I went on to study Economics and put behind me the media dream.
📍13 years later, in NYC - producing media.
Zambians have a very weird main character syndrome when it comes to the Kwacha. I have never once looked at Zambian price and thought "ah yes, let me declare on this public fora that this is in fact NOT a Malawian Kwacha". Very strange behavior.
Accepted the offer: Officially a
#Spartan
.
I’ve been admitted into the
@MSUBroadCollege
- to undertake a STEM MBA. Having toured several Unis last year, I fell in love with the Minskoff Pavilion at the
@michiganstateu
.
Excited for a new chapter, and the academic growth. 🤍✨
On a Monday, as fine as this one, 28 years ago, one fabulous Lonnie gave birthday to her first child and daughter. Her daddy named her Nthanda - which means "morning star", and a star has been shining since.
Grateful to see 28. Thank you for the wonderful birthday wishes.💕
My new friends teaching me a thing or 5 about phone photography. Apparently portrait settings are everything, and I have been approaching it all wrong! 😄🤎
I never shared with anyone beyond my immediate family and closest friends - when I visited Malawi in May, I was involved in a car accident.
I came out without a scratch, and proceeded about my business. I realise I never acknowledged what a miracle that was. ♥️
Make your money
Find people to love you
Love them back deeply
Make time for laughter
Give back when you can
Live slow and easy
There’s joy in the simplicity
It does not matter how well you speak (or write) in the English language - it will never make you “English”. That is not your identity as an African. You should never attach your worth to how well you can speak another man’s language.
How to text busy people:
“Heeey!” ❌
“Hello, I hope you are well. My name is Nthanda Manduwi, avid supporter of your work. I do a bit of this and that. I wanted your guidance on / assistance with ABC. Please let me know when you might have some time to speak about this.” ✅
Think of your degree as what you know, not what do you do. You can choose to practice (/do) exactly what you know, or you can choose to do so much more with what you know. The possibilities are endless. Do not limit yourself.
Unlearn the ideology that you have to be the only successful person from your village. The more successful individuals there are in a community, the more developed the community is. Stand in the gaps. Leave the door open when you enter. Throw the ladder down when you rise.
The best parts of advocacy work: immersing oneself completely in new communities — challenging biases, and understanding that we are all at the core of us human… driven mostly by, and in unending search of, one thing: love.
Please resist the urge to shrink yourself so people can accommodate and love you. The world is so vast, love - endless, and life - too short, for you to be anything but true. Be you. You will eventually find your people. 💕
I don’t have all the language, but hating Driemo is very anti-Malawian. Feels like the kids in secondary school who used to brag about not knowing/listening to Malawian music. A struggling effort at seeming cool - a lack of national pride that was taught by a certain generation.
I really hope whatever is left of life is really kind to all of us, you know. We’ve experienced so much pain. We deserve softness and softness alone. 🤍
Spent all of yesterday having conversations about Malawi, regional integrations, and taking local efforts global.
The country that gives me quite the notable headache. The country that I might just never give up on. 🇲🇼♥️
Also as I am on topic, I’ve never claimed any of the crowns you dress me with, and try to dethrone me for immediately after.
“She’s not a celebrity”
“She’s not pretty”
“She’s not that rich”
“She’s not an influencer”
“Who does she think she is?”
Give it a rest! It’s pathetic.
When I left Malawi in 2022 to take up a UN job in NY, my mentors’ only worry was: “you have worked so hard to be the voice on youth issues in Malawi. You are almost there. Are you willing to give that up?”
My response: “It is just two years. Nothing much happens in Malawi in 2…
It really fascinates me that the (Malawi) Kwacha devalued from trading at est. MK140 to the $, to now >MK2,000 over the past decade+, and people still speak of a million MK as if it still holds notable value. The language associated with “a million” hasn’t changed much.
To put…