God asks, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” and Isaiah replies, “Here am I! Send me.” Isaiah 6:8
Just when I thought I’d seen all there is to see out of the Warm Heart of Africa, my beloved Malawi, another grand and brilliant idea comes from the wings.
This one, called Nditumeni (Send Me), is the brainchild of Siphiwe Tambala, a former US resident now based in Malawi. She told me she started offering this service and created a WhatsApp group this past week.
In connecting with her, she told me that she was selling chickens and goat meat on Malawian platforms, delivering in Malawi while she was in the USA. Upon seeing the huge gap, Siphiwe moved back to Malawi.
Here is her story:
“My name is Sphiwe Tambala, a Malawian entrepreneur based in Blantyre, involved in several business ventures. I am involved in several business ventures.
The idea for Nditumeni, meaning Send Me, came after several visits to the United States and interacting with Malawians living abroad. I realized that many people in the diaspora struggle to find reliable individuals back home to assist with errands, care for loved ones, make purchases, or oversee personal projects.
Unfortunately, some people have lost money and trust after relying on friends or relatives who failed to deliver on their promises. Nditumeni is founded with the aim of bridging that gap by providing a professional, trustworthy, and transparent service.
Our clients request assistance with shopping, deliveries, family check-ins, and other assignments. Before proceeding, we agree on costs upfront and provide receipts, updates, and proof of completed work, with no hidden charges.
While our concept shares similarities with services like Uber and Amazon, Nditumeni goes beyond deliveries. We aim to become the trusted hands and feet of Malawians living abroad.
We started in Blantyre and Lilongwe with plans to expand to other districts. We are currently developing our operations and hope to create employment opportunities as the business grows.
The concept was inspired by real challenges Malawians shared in the diaspora. So we introduced the service; our focus is on building confidence through honesty, accountability, and reliable service.
Our vision is simple: Distance should never prevent Malawians abroad from supporting their loved ones or accomplishing important things back home.
Our clients can make requests for assistance with shopping, deliveries, family check-ins, and other assignments.”
This is an amazing demand and supply story, and we wish Siphiwe all the best in this novel project. Living in the diaspora is a great opportunity to find greener grass on the other side; however, when one looks back at where they are coming from, it fills many with feelings of despair. Nditumeni is a marvelous entity that helps alleviate some of the despair.
Leave a Reply