Handy struggled in financing her education at Bandawe Girls’ Secondary School. But she graduated with a degree in Media for Development, has her own hair products business and managed the MMF Instagram account in 2023, our 30th birthday year.
Handy Kamanga is an ex-pupil of the Mamie Martin Fund. She was a pupil at Bandawe Girls’ Secondary School from 2008 to 2012. She was brought up from a poor family background so struggled during her secondary education and her first 3 years of university to pay fees. She was supported by the Mamie Martin Fund at secondary school and was supported by Soko Fund in her final year at University. She feels that she would have had to drop out of her education without this support. She has now graduated from the University of Malawi, Chancellor College in Media for Development, achieving her degree with a credit.
After her degree, Handy did an unpaid internship with the Civil Society Education Coalition. She then worked for Plan International as a Gender and Protection Officer. She is married with two young daughters. Click on the photo for Handy’s introduction.
She started her own initiative recycling plastics while still a student, turning them into construction materials like bricks. She also renovated a community based childcare rural village in Lilongwe. She now has her own hair products business with the snappy title of ‘Kandy Naturals‘.
Handy says that Mamie Martin has inspired her to give back to the community. She wants to make sure that other underprivileged girls can receive an education too. She has represented Mamie Martin in professional events. In 2018, she represented the University of Malawi Mamie Martin Fund beneficiaries at Malawi-Scotland High Level National Conference in Lilongwe. She also got the chance to meet two Scottish trustees of Mamie Martin Fund. She hopes to be able to volunteer with MMF in the future.
In 2022, Handy worked for Plan International as a Gender and Protection Officer. But she lost her job on her return from maternity leave. She has now started a hair products business called Kandy Naturals. She actively promotes her business on social media channels like Instagram and Facebook. Here she is with her eldest daughter, Karissa.
