Name: Clement Kenneth Taonani

Organization: Nthawi Farms

Role: CEO/ Owner

The Day Everything Almost Fell Apart:

” I have gone from being a homeless young man to owning 175 acres in just three years and also employing 35 people around the villages in my farm.” My name is Clement Kenneth Taonani and here is my Negus Chronicles.

After I lost my mother it seemed like the hurdles just would not stop. She had battled and lost to cancer and had left five children ( I am the third born) to figure out how to survive a life she had desperately shielded us from. I was not born with the best of opportunities in life, but I cannot say that I suffered through it. Innovative youths

While I was raised in the rural area, we were not poor. We were actually considered a pretty well to do family in our village. As the second born son, I was really under no pressure to over achieve nor was I dreaming of it. Innovative youth

However, her death seemed to open a door to hades, calling misfortune upon me and my siblings, one after the next with no apparent respite. An A+ student who had no support to go to university, I had to settle for what I could. As the say, where there’s a will there’s a way, I eventually settled for nursing school where I was selected (after a grueling entrance exam) Under the Bill and Hilary Clinton Initiative in Malawi. Innovative youths

Seeing that I could not force or cheat my way through life I sacrificed it all, I bought a phone in college using the upkeep allowance I would receive instead of a laptop like everyone else was doing.

I eventually graduated with a diploma and could not find employment for almost one Year. I discovered the educational videos on YouTube and for another 6 months I schooled myself in organic farming. Innovative youths

My inner debate led me to sale my phone to invest into farming. I used the money to start my farm and support myself during the journey to farming.  While the season of sowing to harvest saw me homeless and hungry, I chose to hope on what I woke up to see growing daily. Innovative youths

I can without a doubt say, my perseverance, hard work and need to succeed saw me make a first harvest that was both transformational and life changing. Innovative youths

As you read this, I am now an employer, youth empowerment activist and climate change champion and economic enigma. I did not grow their wealth with a load but the sheer drive to win got me here. I have also thus far trained 2000+ households on organic farming. All I can say is, “While pain has a way of breaking you, it can never define you.”