Tazirwa Chipeta, Programs Director at the Family Planning Association of Malawi, is one of four women selected as a final candidate for the IPPF Women’s Leadership Initiative. The initiative is an International Masters in Practicing Programme (IMPM) which runs over one year.
Monica Mwai, a communications intern at the ARO office – interviewed Tazirwa about the amazing opportunity. During the interview, Tazirwa expressed great excitement to have been selected as part of the first batch of candidates for the programme. “It combines conceptual depth, practical applicability, with learning from experience – own experiences and those of one’s peers – with the latest ideas in management.”
Abena Adubea Amoah – Executive Director of the Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana, Dr. Kalpana Apte – Secretary General, FPA India and Esperanza Delgado Director of Advocacy – Mexfam and Tazirwa Chipeta are the four phenomenal women leaders selected to take part in the programme.
She acknowledged the programme as a great opportunity not only for her but for the Family Planning Association of Malawi too as she would be able to share and reflect the knowledge and growth she would acquire through the programme for the good of the organization.
As a female leader, Tazirwa has learnt to manage the different needs of her people at different times according to their different needs while being a kind person as she plays her role as a leader. She has faced gender-related roadblocks in her career recognizing that in an environment where career women are viewed differently, she has had to work extra hard to prove her abilities as a leader. She applauded the efforts by IPPF on inclusive leadership ,’’One of the things I like about IPPF is that it has openly stipulated on who is supposed to be where , for example the board’s composition is inclusive of both men and women provided they have the right skills and knowledge to effectively execute their skills.’’
Tazirwa believes in creating an enabling an environment for women by making policies in the workplace that will enable women to take up leadership roles and by equipping the women with the right skills and knowledge to execute their duties.
Her advice to young women looking to accelerate their careers in the SRHR space is,
‘Remain focused, we are in an environment where people want to have quick gains without earning them , aim at something and invest in it. Accept the learning process, look up to people who can mentor you appropriately and learn from them. The future is very bright for women.’’
Congratulations, Tazirwa! This sounds so exciting. I am a graduate of Lancaster University myself (though over a decade ago now) – I hope you enjoy your time in the city as well as the excellent learning opportunity.