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We are delighted to welcome Ms. Olive Chilenga as the Representative of the national chapter in Malawi for the YPARD community.
Olive is the founder and managing director of Harvest Hut LTD, a social enterprise that is championing sustainable agriculture, environmental conservation, reforestation and community empowerment specifically for women and youth in the central region of Malawi.
Olive is a passionate advocate for sustainable agriculture, environmental conservation, and community empowerment: specifically for women and youth in Malawi. She holds a Bachelors of Social Sciences in Political Leadership and is pursuing her Masters of Arts in Political Science at University of Malawi , combining her expertise to drive transformative initiatives.
Hailing from Malawi, she witnessed firsthand the challenges faced by smallholder farmers due to climate change and land degradation, igniting her passion for change. As a member of YPARD in Malawi and an alumna of the EVWA Changemakers 2023 program, Olive is deeply committed to food security, reforestation, environmental conservation and women's empowerment. She engages globally with the UNFCCC YOUNGO Constituency: was a COP28 UNFCCC Youth Delegate and contributed to the Climate Mobility Guidebook launched at COP28 as part of the African Youths Consultants. Olive is also a YALI RLC-SA COHORT 21 Fellow and was recognized as one of the top 20 candidates in the 2024 Agriculture and Rural Finance Training Program (FAR 2024) by the FAO and ADA. Olive was also part of the as one of the panelists to represent Malawi at the Southern Africa (SAF) cluster International Women's Day webinar on 18 March, 2024— theme "Count Her In: Accelerating Women's Economic Empowerment." alongside Panelists from Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Zambia.
Her brainchild, Harvest Hut, addresses pressing challenges in Malawi. Olive's leadership has revitalized the local pork industry, combated deforestation through pine tree cultivation, empowered women at a grassroot level, enhanced food security and zero-waste circular economy practices.
With a remarkable track record in sustainable agriculture and environmental advocacy, Olive Chilenga is a beacon of leadership, driving change towards a more sustainable and equitable world, bringing the sustainable future closer to reality.
