# Giving women the power to make money and take control of their destiny
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2022-03-22
Category: FINANCE
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/finance
Meta Title: Empowering Female Entrepreneurs in Malawi with Chance for
Meta Description: Join our comfort zone disrupting programme in Malawi, empowering women to become independent through entrepreneurial skills. Make a real difference today.
URL: https://financedigest.com/giving-women-the-power-to-make-money-and-take-control-of-their-destinyhtml

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_By_ **_Philippa White,_** _Founder & CEO of The International Exchange (TIE), a comfort zone disruptor.  Passionate about growth and development, she has created a unique programme that exposes people to global challenges to ignite their humanity, ingenuity, and purpose._

We work in many of the [worlds’ least developed countries and the importance of giving](https://www.financedigest.com/uk-gives-bbc-world-service-20-million-pounds-to-support-english-language-broadcasting.html "UK gives BBC World Service 20 million pounds to support English language broadcasting") autonomy and financial independence to women in those countries cannot be overstated – either for the women themselves or for their countries.

One example of this comes from Malawi, often known as the Warm Heart of Africa. It is also one of the poorest [countries in the world](https://www.financedigest.com/richest-countries-in-the-world.html "Richest countries in the world"). And to add to the challenges that the country faces, the pandemic has pushed the children’s and [human rights movements back](https://www.financedigest.com/putting-the-human-touch-back-into-banking-magazine.html "“Putting the human touch back into banking”-Magazine") by at least 30 years.

Schools being closed has meant that [young people have been at home](https://www.financedigest.com/to-be-a-young-person-and-own-your-own-home-should-be-a-dream-that-everyone-has-the-right-to-fulfil.html "“To be a young person and own your own home should be a dream that everyone has the right to fulfil.”"), or on the streets, and as a result, so vulnerable. Abuse of all kinds increased exponentially because of the pandemic.

It is also common knowledge that in Malawi the gap between the rich and the poor

is big. As if this is not enough, access to education favours the few rich families, thereby making life for the poor families harder and more vulnerable than it would otherwise be.

It is this vulnerability that is now leading to the increase in the number of girls being trafficked, sexually abused or exploited and indeed most of them end up as teen mothers. On top of this, every day girls face barriers to [education caused by poverty](https://www.financedigest.com/poverty-education-levels-draw-battle-lines-in-french-election.html "Poverty, education levels draw battle lines in French election"), cultural norms, poor infrastructure, violence, and fragility.

But better educated women tend to be more informed about nutrition and healthcare, have fewer children, marry at a later age, and their children are usually healthier, should they choose to become mothers. They are also more likely to participate in the formal labour maker and earn higher incomes.

All of these factors combined can help lift households, communities and countries out of poverty. This is why one of our recent professional [development programmes was so powerful](https://www.financedigest.com/edf-edison-ansaldo-team-up-to-develop-nuclear-power-in-europe.html "EDF, Edison, Ansaldo team up to develop nuclear power in Europe").

It was rooted in female entrepreneurship.

We are comfort zone disruptors. We get companies ahead of the [curve by developing the leadership skills of their people by taking them out of predictable silos and exposing them to global challenges](https://www.financedigest.com/retreating-up-the-risk-curve-is-no-solution-to-the-growth-challenge.html "Retreating up the risk curve is no solution to the growth challenge") that will ignite their humanity, ingenuity, and purpose.

At the end of 2021 a small team of professionals from London, Canada and Switzerland from the [areas of finance](https://www.financedigest.com/4-areas-of-finance-you-should-be-watching.html "4 Areas of Finance You Should Be Watching"), operations and business came together virtually to broaden their horizons and push themselves in new ways by working with a Malawi human rights organisation called Chance for Change.

The [team helped create a structure and programme for young women to learn](https://www.financedigest.com/what-can-accountants-learn-from-great-britains-olympic-team.html "What can accountants learn from Great Britain’s Olympic team?") entrepreneurial skills, allowing them to become more independent – thereby removing themselves and their young children from terrible living conditions. And providing them with a chance for change.

What was fascinating were the insights collected during this programme.

I remember one of our meetings where the team reflected on a conversation that they had with a handful of local adolescent girls, to talk about the types of entrepreneurial activities they could engage with.

The team of professionals started the meeting thinking they needed to kick off with examples. They suggested the selling of baked goods.

The girls very kindly listened. And responded by saying that many of them were still breastfeeding their young infants, and culturally, no one would [buy food](https://www.financedigest.com/european-food-delivery-shapes-up-with-getirs-gorillas-buy.html "European food delivery shapes up with Getir’s Gorillas buy") made by someone who is breastfeeding. And that wasn’t really what they planned to do anyway.

What _was_ needed was a mechanic for bikes and mopeds. They knew how to fix stuff. And there was such a distrust of men running through the society, they wanted to fill that [gap and provide a trusted](https://www.financedigest.com/how-can-banks-overcome-the-tech-trust-gap.html "How can banks overcome the tech trust gap?") and authentic service – operated by women only.

They knew what they wanted to do, they just needed help figuring out the structure, the start-up capital, and how to make it happen.

**The professionals were blown away.**

They not only learned the power of asking questions first and not assuming anything, but also just how powerful female entrepreneurship is. In so many respects.

Following these meetings, and immersing themselves further, the team created some powerful solutions to help make all of the objectives come to fruition.

They created a Student Manual for girls to use throughout the entrepreneurship programme; funding opportunities for the girls that included a [business start-up loan](https://www.financedigest.com/types-of-business-loans.html "Types of business loans") facility, education loan facility and scholarship funding, all addressing a gap in funding for both the launch of a business by girls and also the financial barrier of education for girls; a community scholarship programme to provide access to education for youths who demonstrated empathy and leadership; and a mentorship development programme.

**Implementation of these has already started.**

Achieving gender equality will make the world a healthier, happier place and is crucial to making lasting environmental progress. Gender bias is exacerbated by the lack of [financial power](https://www.financedigest.com/4-ways-high-performance-analytics-powers-financial-services.html "4 ways high-performance analytics powers financial services") held by women in poorer countries, but these women don’t lack the desire and creativity to become successful entrepreneurs, they just need support and encouragement to turn their ideas into reality.

Finding [ways that help women](https://www.financedigest.com/3-ways-to-safeguard-and-include-women-in-construction.html "3 ways to safeguard and include women in construction") and girls living in challenging socioeconomic conditions be better educated, build skills, start small businesses, and secure fair wages and ethical work, will not only impact them, but their communities.

When women have the [power to make their own money and have control](https://www.financedigest.com/national-world-launches-new-ad-manager-platform-powered-by-danads-empowering-businesses-to-take-control-of-their-advertising.html "National World launches new ad manager platform, powered by DanAds, empowering businesses to take control of their advertising") over how they use it, this not only empowers them economically, but is also one of the best ways to help reduce global poverty.

**Philippa White, Founder & CEO of TIE**

Philippa is the Founder and CEO of The International Exchange (TIE), a comfort zone disruptor.  Passionate about growth and development, she has created a unique programme that exposes people to global challenges to ignite their humanity, ingenuity, and purpose.

She believes that to profoundly change the world, we need to connect with our emerging self. In her mind, where we _were_ is different to where we are _going_. And everyone has the power to take us to the future – the key is unlocking it.

Born in South Africa and having grown up in Canada, Philippa has always prized her position as a [global citizen](https://www.financedigest.com/global-citizen-seeks-up-to-1-billion-for-six-sustainable-impact-funds.html "Global Citizen seeks up to  billion for six sustainable ‘Impact’ funds"). [Following an exchange programme](https://www.financedigest.com/ubs-makes-changes-to-buyback-programme-following-credit-suisse-takeover.html "UBS makes changes to buyback programme following Credit Suisse takeover") in Thailand, she moved to the United Kingdom, where she worked in advertising.

In 2005, after deciding that those in the private sector were often unable to access their fullest potential when it came to being both [successful members of their field and constructive members of their global](https://www.financedigest.com/how-to-turn-a-uk-startup-into-a-global-success.html "How to turn a UK startup into a global success ") community, Philippa moved to Brazil and launched TIE. TIE aims to unleash the power of [leaders through self-discovery and experiential learning in ways that also positively impacts](https://www.financedigest.com/3-impactful-ways-that-leaders-can-contribute-to-the-independent-development-of-their-employees.html "3 Impactful Ways that Leaders Can Contribute to the Independent Development of Their Employees") communities around the world.

TIE works with some of the [world’s biggest](https://www.financedigest.com/biggest-economy-in-the-world.html "Biggest Economy in the World") companies from the communications and financial sectors, such as Santander, Leo Burnett, and Bartle Bogle Hegarty, helping their people develop the vital competencies, innovative thinking, and confidence necessary to drive their companies into the future. As each year passes, customers and [employees alike become more worried about the purpose of the corporation and TIE is supporting companies and their leaders](https://www.financedigest.com/how-to-manage-burnout-and-how-leaders-should-support-employee-wellbeing-tom-keya.html "How to manage burnout and how leaders should support employee wellbeing | Tom Keya") as they learn how to reach the societal and environmental demands of our age.

In direct response to the challenges posed by COVID-19 around the world in 2020, TIE went virtual, and increased its transformative force by expanding the base of its participants: It created two CPD Accredited six-week online programmes. Team TIE for [corporate clients and TIE Accelerator for professionals around the world](https://www.financedigest.com/post-crash-banking-regulation-is-transforming-the-world-of-corporate-lending-for-the-better.html "Post-crash banking regulation is transforming the world of corporate lending – for the better") who don’t need or don’t want to be sponsored by their companies. Both attract seasoned professionals who are keen to _do_ and _be_ more.

Philippa is 44 [years old](https://www.financedigest.com/out-with-the-old-make-a-new-year-resolution-to-get-rid-of-that-unwanted-timeshare.html "Out with the old! Make a New Year resolution to get rid of that unwanted timeshare") and lives in Brazil with her 7 and 11-year-old daughters. They love to [spend weekends hanging out in the Atlantic rainforest with friends or exploring](https://www.financedigest.com/brits-spend-less-than-a-quarter-of-their-holiday-exploring-the-destination.html "Brits spend less than a quarter of their holiday exploring the destination") local beaches. She also loves taking her 35kg German Shorthaired Pointer for a run in the countryside and when possible, whenever he’s not sailing across the world, spending time with her partner at his small shipyard as he finishes creating his new class of sailing vessel.

More at:

[www.theinternationalexchange.co.uk](http://www.theinternationalexchange.co.uk)

[www.tieaccelerator.com](http://www.tieaccelerator.com/)

[Podcast](https://anchor.fm/philippa-white-tie) \| [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/theinternationalexchange) \| [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/theinternationalexchange/) \| LinkedIn


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