CAMFED Association Leader
Elizabeth Teleka, from Mchinji District, Malawi, was supported in her secondary and tertiary education by CAMFED. She served as the national chair of the CAMFED Association (the network of women leaders educated with CAMFED support) in Malawi from 2021 to 2024. Elizabeth is a primary school teacher, peer mentor, and girls’ education advocate. She also runs a successful business, growing and processing peanuts, and recently launched an innovative, eco-friendly farm and food waste upcycling scheme.
While still in school, Elizabeth volunteered as a peer educator, focusing on HIV/AIDS prevention. She joined the CAMFED Association in 2014, and was elected to be the district representative on the national committee.
Elizabeth established “sister to sister” clubs to educate girls about the dangers of early marriage and pregnancy, and served on the Community Development Committees (CDC), which bring together local stakeholders to manage CAMFED program delivery.
In 2016, Elizabeth contributed to the National Strategy for Ending Child Marriage, and joined other CAMFED Association members in presenting the petition for amendments to the constitution to the First Lady of Malawi, Professor Madam Gertrude Mutharika.
In 2018, Elizabeth graduated from Teacher Training College, and is now employed as a primary school teacher. Elizabeth also owns a business growing maize and groundnuts, and produces peanut butter for sale. To share her experience, she established an online platform called ‘Women Business Clinic’ where she runs free business sessions and mentorship for over 60 young women. Elizabeth regularly joins forces with other CAMFED Association members to provide essential items and mentoring to keep vulnerable children in school.
In 2025, Elizabeth earned a degree in Development Studies from the Catholic University of Malawi. In the same year her business – Ezel Agro Processors – was recognized with a grant from the National Youth Council of Malawi through its competitive Youth Innovation Fund. The grant is supporting Elizabeth to enable smallholder farmers to transform farm and food waste into organic liquid fertilizer and clean energy. For Elizabeth’s community, this climate-smart innovation is restoring soil health, boosting productivity and reducing environmental harm. This award marks a significant milestone for Elizabeth, reflecting her growing business leadership and inspiring the next generation of CAMFED Association leaders to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams.
Elizabeth and her business won further acclaim at Malawi’s 2025 National Agricultural Trade Fair, where visitors to her pavilion included the Minister of Agriculture, Hon. Sam Dalitso Kawale. Additional achievements include her participation in the Women Creating Wealth Program; recognition as Best Youth Entrepreneur of the Year 2025; and selection as a champion for the African Women Entrepreneurship Cooperative (AWEC), where she is leading the training of 150 women across Malawi in business development, leadership, and personal growth.