The June morning air at Luviri Trading Centre is thick with anticipation. Tables lined the square, each one carefully arranged with products that tell a story of months spent learning, planning and building something from nothing.
Twenty-two young entrepreneurs stood behind their stalls, watching customers, curious neighbours and prospective partners begin to gather. For many of them, this was the moment everything they had learned would finally be tested in the real world, a market fair to showcase their products and services after an incubation program under the Green Jobs for Adolescents and Youth – GJ4AY in Mzimba District.
This was the first of three market fairs hosted by Emerge Livelihoods, in partnership with Save the Children Malawi and ADRA Malawi in collaboration with the M’mbelwa District Council. All of the participants are graduates of the Business Incubation Program in Traditional Authority Mzikubola. These graduates are young people who have spent months turning ideas into functioning businesses and who were now ready to take the next step: finding customers, forging partnerships, and proving their businesses could stand on their own.
The first market fair started at Luviri, where the energy was part market day, part graduation. Entrepreneurs weren’t just selling, they were introducing themselves to a wider audience of prospective buyers, mentors and potential funders. It was as much about visibility as it was about revenue. The event was presided over by M’mbelwa District Council Chairperson Mr. Joel Nkhata, who took time to walk the stalls and interact with the young business owners.
“Let me commend all these young people for turning their training into real, functioning enterprises and businesses that are already creating jobs and adding value to the local economy. This is encouraging news for these young people and they would be considered among the priority beneficiaries for support through the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), a signal that local government sees their potential and is ready to invest in them.”
joel nkhata – m’mbelwa district council chairperson
But the day wasn’t just about recognition. Representatives from NBS Bank and MEDF were on hand, giving entrepreneurs a chance to have real conversations about financing, the kind of conversations that can turn a small stall into a scalable business. By the end of the day, products had been sold and contacts had been exchanged.
The second stop was Kapopo Trading Centre, where 16 young entrepreneurs set up shop, ready to build on the excitement from Luviri. This time, the crowd was even bigger with more than 30 stakeholders in attendance including NBS Bank, MEDF, government departments, and local community leaders, all eager to see what the youth of M’mbelwa had built.
Once again, Council Chairperson Mr. Joel Nkhata officiated the event, reinforcing the local government’s continued commitment to these young business owners. For the entrepreneurs, Kapopo wasn’t just a repeat of Luviri, it was a chance to refine their pitch, sharpen their displays and make new connections that Luviri hadn’t offered.
Among the entrepreneurs showcasing their products that day was Moses Mbunge, a young farmer and owner of Mtendere Horticulture in Alufeyo Jere, Traditional Authority Mzikubola. At the fair, he displayed a range of vegetables and propagated fruit trees including pawpaw, avocado, tangerine and orange seedlings.
“This platform has given me the confidence to sharpen my selling skills and connect directly with customers at the market fair. Through the incubation program, I’ve transformed the way I farm, adopting sustainable, organic methods that protect the environment while giving my customers healthier food. A year ago, earning a stable income was a real struggle. Today, I can support myself entirely through my business. Beyond that, these fairs have opened doors to banks and institutions that are now key partners in my growth.”
moses mbunge – gj4ay participant
Then the final fair took the entrepreneurs to Eswazini Trading Centre, where 12 young business owners showcased their products and services to an even more diverse crowd with 33 stakeholders including NBS Bank, MEDF, government departments and community leadership.
This time, it was Vice Council Chairperson Mr. Victor Muva who presided over the event, a reminder that support for these young entrepreneurs runs deep across the district’s leadership and not just at the top.
Across all three fairs, the story was the same, even as the faces and products changed: young people who had once been adolescents and youth with an idea and some trainings were now standing confidently in front of banks, government officials, and their own communities, presenting real businesses. Beyond the sales made on each day, participants walked away with new market leads, expanded customer networks and established relationships with the financial institutions, government agencies, and local leaders who can help their businesses grow long after the project ends.
These three fairs are part of the post-incubation support extended to 100 adolescents and youth who graduated from the Main Business Incubation Program in Mzimba, under the Green Jobs for Adolescents and Youth Project. The project, funded by Save the Children Italy, is implemented in both Ntcheu and Mzimba Districts.
Watching these entrepreneurs sell their goods, shake hands with bank representatives, and field questions from community leaders, it’s easy to see the bigger vision taking shape. Emerge Livelihoods sees a generation of young Malawians who aren’t waiting for jobs to be created for them but who are creating jobs of their own.
