A Fellowship Beyond the Classroom
From June 24th to 27th, 2025, Emerging Public Leaders (EPL) Malawi took learning outside the boardroom and into the heart of Malawi’s communities. As part of the Public Service Fellowship Program (PSFP), our Cohort 1 fellows embarked on immersive excursions across Neno, Mzuzu, and Nkhatabay Districts. The goal was to understand public service delivery at the grassroots and see how government, civil society, and citizens work together to make development real.
Two Teams, One Mission: Explore, Engage, Reflect
Northern Insights: Mining, Agriculture & Empowered Cooperatives
Our 33 fellows were split into two groups. One headed south to Neno District, recently ranked first in the 2024/25 Local Authority Performance Assessment (LAPA), while the second team travelled north to explore development efforts in Mzuzu and Nkhatabay.
This excursion was not just about observation but also about participation, dialogue, and deep reflection on the systems and partnerships that drive meaningful change in Malawi.
Highlights from Neno: Performance in Practice
In Neno, fellows engaged with district officials, civil society organizations, and community leaders to unpack the district’s top-tier LAPA performance. Key stops included:
- Beyond Our Hearts Foundation (BOHF) – for an introductory orientation on the CSO landscape
- Neno District Council – to understand planning, governance, and service delivery mechanisms
- Nanzanga Primary School – where fellows saw first-hand Governance to Enable Service Delivery (GESD) supported project with 75% community contributions
Through rich dialogues with Village Development Committees (VDCs) and Area Development Committees (ADCs), fellows gained grassroots perspectives on transparency, local ownership, and the real-world challenges of sustaining development.
Up north, fellows visited:
- ZZTH Quarry Mine in Dunduzu – for a hands-on understanding of medium-scale mining operations and community impact
- Limpasa Irrigation Scheme – a vital project empowering over 1,000 farmers through cooperative-led agriculture
- Mkondezi Cooperative – a model of inclusive development with youth and women in leadership roles
Fellows witnessed how long-standing challenges, like irrigation sustainability and equitable resource use, are being tackled through local innovation, partnerships, and community engagement.
What We Learned
Across both teams, common themes emerged:
Transparent communication and inclusion lead to better results Community ownership drives sustainability Multi-stakeholder coordination is not optional—it’s essential There’s no substitute for listening to citizens on the frontlines of development
Recommendations for a Better Public Service
Fellows made several forward-looking recommendations:
- Standardize committee handovers to avoid information loss
- Improve communication from councils to VDCs and ADCs
- Ensure full inclusion of women, youth, and people with disabilities
- Strengthen labor law enforcement in mining and industrial sectors
- Increase local capacity for planning and monitoring
Our Commitment Going Forward
As a program, we are proud to see our fellows stepping into spaces of leadership with humility, curiosity, and a commitment to excellence. These excursions were not simply field trips, they were transformational learning experiences that will shape how our fellows lead.
We are grateful to the district councils, CSOs, community leaders, and development partners who made this journey possible. Your openness and collaboration ensured that this wasn’t just a visit but also a shared learning moment for everyone involved.
In Their Own Words
“The unity and commitment we saw in Neno proved that government, citizens, and CSOs can build trust and deliver results—together.”
Charity Hara, Neno Team
“In Nkhatabay, we saw how cooperatives are restoring power to the farmer and shaping a future where agriculture is both profitable and inclusive.”
Eshani Alfred Office, Northern Team
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