VITA MITHI

Vita Mithi, from Malawi, holds a Bachelor’s degree in the field of Public Health from the University of Livingstonia – Laws Campus, and a registered member of the Medical Council of Malawi. He is a member of Academics Stand Against Poverty (ASAP), Generational Leadership Initiative Malawi and International Youth Alliance for Family Planning. He is also part of the Planetary Health Education community and Quality in Universal Health and Healthcare Thematic Working Group. Vita Mithi is a regular contributor to the Tobacco Harm Reduction Malawi website. One of Vita Mithi’s publications is: Tobacco Harm Reduction: One of the Alternatives towards Achieving SDG 3. www.thrmalawi.info.

"A Better World Is a Result of the Human Race Coming Together as One"

Q: Tell us a few things about your country, and also your life's story!

Originally from Malawi a landlocked country, with a vast array of nature; lakes, vegetation, falls and mountains. It is administratively divided into 3 regions: Northern, Central and Southern. I am from the northern region belonging to Ngoni (Tumbuka) tribe, from Mzimba District. Raised in a middle-income Christian family, by a grandfather (whom I call father). I spent most of my growing up in the same region (least developed part of the country), where I did my education; from primary to tertiary. I graduated in 2017 with a Bachelor’s degree in Public Health from the University of Livingstonia, a Christian Institution under Central African Presbyterian Church (CCAP), Synod of Livingstonia. It came in as an alternative after being left out by the University of Malawi. It is a private institution, but I was under bursary (which I utilised fully, as it seemed like a one-time opportunity). 

After my tertiary education, finding work was a hustle, but lucky enough I found an internship with a non-governmental organisation known as Youth Net and Counselling, where I worked for a year (of-course without pay or monthly stipend, but whenever we went for fieldwork, sometimes I could get honoraria). While doing my internship, I joined a youth initiative known as the Generational Leadership Initiative (still a member) that focuses on what the country is doing towards the achievement of Sustainable Developmental Goals. This made me have a long look on what I was doing towards community service as a way of giving back to the community and explore more of my talent (and that marked the beginning of community service/philanthropy). After that, I reached out to most of my secondary school classmates and formed alumni of young people. The group managed to provide 5 bags of cement for its first year of operation.

However, it came down because most of its members were not stable; others went out to pursue studies and businesses in search of greener pasture. After the one year duration of the internship, I joined World Vision Malawi for a short term as a research assistant, while there I could volunteer with Unipers International Media as a reporter/writer, Tobacco Harm Reduction Malawi project as an Ambassador and December to Remember, an initiative tailored towards helping orphans as a coordinator for the northern region. 

In the year 2019, I applied and given a space in the Master of Science in Global Urban Health at Albert-Ludwigs-Universitat Freiburg, Germany. But because of financial constraints, language and age (then 23), I was unable to attend or secular a scholarship, (most scholarship foundations requires one to be able to speak German /or perhaps I did not search enough) kept a space, and shifted to the 2020 cohort, with the hope to secular sponsorship. I also applied for a Master's Programme in Public Health Sciences - specialization Public Health Epidemiology at Karolinska Institutet and Global Health at Uppsala University Sweden, only to land on a reserve spot. 

While trying to uncover the blanket in academia, I took some short online courses, joined Global Health Impact (as a research assistant/intern), International Youth Alliance for Family Planning (as Volunteer SRHR Advocate) and Maphunziro 265 (an ambassador– aimed at mentoring and helping students achieve excellence and improve access to education) as well as got a research grant from knowledge Action Change through their Tobacco Harm Reduction Scholarship Program. From the grant, I had the privilege to donate some money towards an initiative known as Hearts Without Border Mzuzu Chapter which aims at helping the vulnerable groups in rural areas, which I was also part of. 

Evangelism of the Gospel, while engaging my work also found its way in me. While in these groupings I had the privilege of helping a girl leave the business of prostitution and a boy quit alcoholism (who were living together as a couple at a bar), just to mention a few. I have always tried to run from evangelism, for academia but academia seems to run far from me compared to evangelism/gospel (which I have embraced).

In everything, life has been able to allow me to exercise; Chance, Choice, Change (3Cs) and not looking at the challenges faced with a negative attitude, but what I would like to leave behind. The moment one has life, they are given the chance to make a choice to bring about change. Being one of the mentees for Global Thinkers Forum is a chance, and I believe that it will trigger a choice to make a substantial change to the world and make it a better place. Live and let live. Live for a purpose (Ikigai).

Q: What is your view of the Coronavirus crisis and the world as it is today? How do you define the concept of a better world especially given the hard lessons we have taken from this unprecedented crisis?

Coronavirus has really shocked waves around the globe and humbled the human race that in a sense that it will always be second to nature. A lot has changed in the past few months. From handshake to no handshake and wearing masks. Literally, people used to be afraid of a gun, but now people are afraid of people’s breath. The virus has fuelled discrimination, shown gaps in the health systems, economic constraints and political ego, among others.

A better world is a result of the human race coming together as one, by thinking beyond skin colour, region, religion and political divisions, ethnicity etc., and focus on solving the problem that is on sight as one’s own, as well as prevent other glitches that may arise in future. It is a good time for one to reflect and exercise “Karma” and “Ikigai”.

Q: What are some of the key challenges in your society currently and how do you think CoVid-19 will affect your country?

Some of the challenges in my community are; high cost of living, high illiteracy levels, hunger, poor sanitation and hygiene, early/teenage pregnancies, discrimination, fear to access health care with a perception of being diagnosed with CoVid-19, drug and substance abuse and high unemployment rate among young people.

The outlined challenges above may worsen which may lead to unprecedented problems such as an increase in prostitution/human trafficking, increase in illiteracy levels, (Education constraints), spread of HIV/AIDS, health constraints as people will not have access to medication which are already scarce in the country. As a result, there will be reduced manpower for agriculture which is the backbone of the country. That may lead to hunger, extreme poverty, high morbidity and mortality rate.

Q: As a young individual what are a few of the hurdles that you had to overcome up until today?

High prices of basic needs and financial constraints. The basic thing to do is to try and survive the crisis and not starve to death because of hunger.

Q: Why is the role of a mentor important for you?

Because I would love to help make this world a better place.

Q: Do you have a lesson that life has taught you and you would like to share?

Yes! A lot! 

Life has taught me we ought to be humble, kind and loving. We ought to uplift one another. For me to reach where I am today it's because someone gave out his hand. And learn to appreciate, whether small or big. A thank you is much greater than possession.

Q: Name a project, a foundation or a person in your country that you think is doing great work in helping improve other people's lives!

Maphunziro 265 which is run by youths for the development of vibrant youth with access to quality education, and able to compete for national & international opportunities.

Q: What are some of the challenges that women in your country face and what efforts are made towards gender equality?

Gender Based Violence and Discrimination due to social-economic status and health status. Bylaws have been put in place with the law enforcement and ministry of gender human rights and disability on the forefront to curb the malpractice.

Q: Share with us a phrase, a poem or a story that you love or you find interesting!

Life is 3 Cs. Chance, Choice, Change.

We have a chance to make a choice to bring about change.

"You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough" - Mae West

Q: Share with us a project that you would like to make happen for your country or a cause that you are passionate about?

Universal Health and Health Care: Access to Essential Medicines. It is a project/cause that I would love to accomplish - make people have access to medication even in the rural areas by building health facilities or dispensaries with drugs. Universal Health and Health Care: Access to Essential Medicines; is a project/cause that developed from a community that is based in Mzuzu city's wastes dumpsite known as Mosiro. This was developed after witnessing a child that suffered from cerebral malaria who are mentally retorted. This happened because the family could not continue going to the hospital that is more than 8 kilometres away and only to be told that there is no medicine.