What’s the fuss with Chacha? Speaks about ‘flexing’ and life changer to Malawi girlchild
Trending on social media community of Malawians has been photos of Chawezi Sibongile Banda, daughter of Malawi’s former Finance Minister, the late Aleke Kadonamphani Banda, well known as ‘Chacha’ who has been moving in Malawi with hordes of bodyguards. Nyasa Times caught up with the United States-based wealthy woman who explains the reasons behind the security details and her influencer status.
Speaking to Nyasa Times from Miami, on Saturday March 14 on her birthday where she had gone from her base in Richmond, in the State of Virginia, on a private jet, Chacha said her motivating now is to share her resources with the disadvantaged including economically empowering people such as self-employed body guards.
Commenting on the trending photo of her with bodyguards, one of the Facebook users Ministry of Finance, Economic Planning and Development spokesperson Davies Saddo, wrote: “End piece ; Money is oweer. A man without oney is a man without power. If you want power, don’t just spend time in the gym growing muscles. Create wealth. Muscles lead to strength. A body builder is strong, but a millionaire is powerful. Get wealth and you can by strength. Chacha just proved it- inspired by the picture.”
Chacha said while in Malawi, she had to motivate people in a country that’s battling high poverty levels.
“I nowadays travel in and out of my homeland Malawi to help people, mostly young girls to earn education,” she said. “I am passionate to keeping girls in school.”
Chacha, who owns ‘Chacha Care Homes’ in Richmond, identified some orphaned girls – two at Nanthenje in Lilongwe. She named one after her and some in Tukombo, Nkhatabay, her village district whom she is sponsoring their education.
“I want to be a life changer in people’s lives, especially the vulnerable,” she said.
Chacha took Esnart Fanuel from a village in Balaka and enrolled her at Comensoli Girls Catholic Boarding Primary School, Sacramentine Sisters in Monkey bay and fully sponsors her tuition and upkeep.
“I went to visit her; I was in tears when I saw that she was so much motivated to be at the school. I will continue to support Esnart Fanuel and others,” she said.
Primary education in Malawi is free but pupils have to pay some development funds to access public schools which some poor parents can hardly afford.
This has contributed to numbers of school dropout even at primary school levels because they cannot afford such funds.
For girls the situation is even worse as it is one of the contributing factors to early marriages.
Chacha helps underprivileged girl child to create a hope and that they can achieve career dreams.
“I want to put the underprivileged girls on the path towards breaking the pervasive cycles of poverty in their slum communities and also have bright future in their careers,” said Chacha who has been influencer for her lavish lifestyle as observed on Instagram and Facebook.
But Chacha told Nyasa Times that her public displays of wealth are intended to inspire people.
“I get messages from girls me that I’m the reason they want to finish school, and projects, and become successful,” she said.
Chacha explains that she left Malawi in 2001 when her father was still an influential cabinet minister in the Bakili Muluzi administration as well as owning a newspaper giant, Nation Publications Limited.
She toiled from humble integration in US to now being a ‘wealthy person’.
Chacha says her business has become extremely successful and she attributes that success to resilience and hard work.
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