Ellen Chilemba

Ellen is a rising junior at Mount Holyoke College majoring in Economics and Studio Art. She was born and raised in Malawi. At 16, she received a scholarship to represent Malawi at the African Leadership Academy in South Africa where she graduated with a diploma in leadership, entrepreneurship and African studies. This inspired her to launch Tiwale, a community based organization which uplifts Malawian women through opportunities such as leadership workshops, micro-loans, vocational skills training and school grants. Ellen has participated in the Global Changemakers Annual Youth Summits, Forbes 5 Creative Young Africans, Africa Rising, the Powell Exemplary Leaders, the Commonwealth Youth for Excellence in Development Work, the Grinspoon Entrepreneurial Spirit, the Clinton Global Initiative and MasterCard; Ashoka's Future Forward Youth Innovations for Employment in Africa. Her passion lies in development work focusing on Africa. Outside development work, Ellen is a DJ, sculptor, lover of music, fashion, plants and travel.