“Unable to pay school fees as a child, she now heads up the very organization that helped her stay in class.”
CNN African Voices Changemakers
Watch as Angeline leads our work to address girls' exclusion from education
A brand new 11-minute episode of CNN’s African Voices Changemakers highlights the leadership of Angeline (Angie) Murimirwa, CAMFED’s Executive Director – Africa, and her sisters in the CAMFED Association, using their lived experience to achieve gender equality, economic development and climate action through girls’ education.
Filmed in Blantyre and Mulanje, Malawi, the segment shows Angie engaging with staff, students supported by CAMFED, as well as young women who have stepped into leadership and entrepreneurship after graduation. You’ll see Angie with fellow CAMFED graduates who are running businesses, taking steps to build their communities’ resilience to climate change, and supporting the next generation of girls through school.
“I personally know how painful it is to be excluded from education. To be told you can’t sit in this class alongside your peers because you cannot meet the cost is powerfully painful… Education is justice. Giving everybody a chance to go to school is justice. It tells every child that they belong, that they own their destiny, that they can shape it.”
Angeline Murimirwa
The CAMFED Association of women leaders educated with CAMED support now numbers more than 29,000 in Malawi, and nearly 208,000 across five African countries. The CNN team met CAMFED Association entrepreneur Charity, who runs a tailoring shop, and mentors young girls in her community. They met Learner Guide Idess, who keeps girls in school and out of child marriage, and visited her farm, discussing the impact of climate change. Some of the young women met Angie for the first time during this visit captured by CNN. They highlighted how much she—a founding member of our peer-support network—means to them as a big sister, mentor, and role model who has also overcome the odds to complete education, and become independent and influential.
Meet Idess, CAMFED Association member, Learner Guide and Farmer
“When I met Angie I was so excited to know that she is also a CAMFED Association member like me and grew up in a rural area. I learnt from her that being a rural girl is not a barrier to achieve what you want in life. Angie motivated me and she motivated my friends as well who she met during her recent visit here in Malawi. We will continue working hard and pursue our dreams of changing the tide of poverty in our communities.”
Idess Moyo, CAMFED Association member and Learner Guide, Malawi
“For every girl out there — poor or not, struggling or not — you matter. You are important. You have every right to be here. You belong, and you are alive for a reason. And you have the opportunity to make the world a better place. There is only one you, and the world needs you in this time, in this generation.” Angeline Murimirwa
Image: CNN
