Welcome back to the By Ntha Newsletter!
It has been a bit of a little while since I last curated this Newsletter in this way. When I last wrote to you back in October 2023, I was deep in a season of transition — exploring MBA options, navigating uncertainty around my future with the United Nations, and wrapping up my time in New York City.
In the midst of it all, life swept me away, and I allowed myself to fully live those moments, pausing this space for a while.
Lately, I have found myself on a reflection and writing spree, and while it has been so incredibly enjoyable to finally purge in that way, it has also been quite emotionally overwhelming for me.
Over the past year, I have come to realise that the pace of instant updates, while exciting, isn’t always healthy — for me, and I imagine, or for those who follow my journey. I believe in slow storytelling, in taking the time to gather meaning before sharing. And so, moving forward, my writing will live mainly here: curated into a monthly newsletter that captures the essence of the month gone by.
New Curation, Same Newsletter.
At the moment, I am yet in another space of transition, as I will be moving to Redmond, Washington, to join Microsoft as a Business Development Manager this May.
I am aware my life is about to get PLENTY busier, and I am trying to be intentional about how I will continue to engage with you. I’m excited to return to this newsletter — but with a softer, more intentional rhythm.
Going forward, I will be introducing 4 specific sections to each newsletter:
1. Personal Development
2. Professional Growth
3. Entrepreneurship & Innovation
and, of course,
4. Lifestyle
I’ll continue to blog regularly throughout the year, but to help us all slow down a little, you’ll only receive one email update from me: a monthly newsletter, delivered on the first Monday of each month, reflecting on the month that’s passed.
For those who want to continue traveling this journey with me, you can look forward to a single update from me at the end of each month. If you miss me too much (I hope you won’t), you can also always visit my website directly if you feel like checking in for updates in real time earlier. Either way, I hope you’ll grab a cup of tea, slow down with me, and take a thoughtful deep dive into each month as it unfolds.
We’re just getting started again — and I’m so happy you’re here.
If you are not yet a subscriber, please feel free to subscribe below to get the updates directly in your mailbox. If you are already a subscriber, thanks for tagging along in the journey thus far.
Happy New Week, and wishing you a Fabulous April ahead!
All my love,
From Mangochi to Microsoft: A New Chapter Begins
If you’re new to this blog, welcome. And if you’ve been walking this journey with me for a while, you know that my story has been anything but linear — but every step has been filled with purpose.
From growing up on the serene shores of Mangochi, Malawi, to studying economics and dreaming beyond borders, to building social enterprises like the Ntha Foundation, Kwathu Kollective and Bien Corporation — the journey eventually took me across the world to New York City, where I had the privilege of serving at the United Nations Headquarters.
When I left the UN in early 2024, it was one of the most difficult transitions I had ever faced. But with time (and distance), I came to realize it wasn’t an ending — it was a bridge to something new.
Today, I’m excited to share that in just a few weeks, I’ll be officially starting a new chapter of my career journey: joining Microsoft as a Business Development Manager MBA Intern.
It’s a moment that feels both surreal and right. In this season, my heart is focused on learning, growing, and continuing to build — this time, from within the world of technology and innovation. I’m excited to see what doors this new chapter will open, not just for me, but for the communities and causes I care deeply about.
Thank you for being part of this story — whether you’ve been here since Mangochi, since New York, or you’re just joining today. We’re moving forward, together.
Personal Development: Growing Through Major Transitions
In the past year, I’ve lived through some of the most profound transitions of my life — closing the chapter at the United Nations, returning briefly home to Malawi, beginning my MBA journey in Michigan, and preparing now to step into a new world at Microsoft. Every pivot stretched me, not just professionally but personally.
Transitions are rarely comfortable, but they are powerful. They invite us to leave behind familiar identities, routines, and roles, and step into the unknown with nothing but faith and resilience.
Read More:
In my latest reflection, I look back on a year of risk, resilience, and renewal — and what it has meant to trust the process, even when the path ahead wasn’t clear.
Professional Growth: How International Development Shaped My Business Mindset
Most people wouldn’t naturally connect public service with business innovation — but the reality is, my time at the UN deeply shaped how I think about systems, strategy, and scalable impact.
While many associate business growth with metrics and margins, my early career taught me that real, sustainable growth is about people, about systems that empower rather than entrench, about thinking globally and acting intentionally.
Read More:
In my new article, I unpack some of the lessons international development taught me — and why they make me excited to now bring that mindset into the private sector.
Entrepreneurship/Innovation: Early Seeds of Kwathu Kollective, BCA, and DSA
Even while working within large institutions, my entrepreneurial spirit was always alive.
It manifested in side projects, in networks built across sectors, in startups born out of passion and necessity.
But entrepreneurship isn’t just about the wins — it’s about the pivots, the learnings, and sometimes, the letting go.
Read More:
This month, I shared a vulnerable post about one of my hardest entrepreneurial lessons to date: what we built with Digital Skills for Africa (DSA), why it mattered, and why it ultimately wasn’t sustainable in its first form.
Lifestyle: Honoring Slowing Down Before the Next Chapter
Amidst all the transitions, one of the greatest gifts I gave myself this year was the permission to slow down. To savor. To listen.
During my MBA study abroad experience in Spain, we visited a vineyard, and I found myself deeply moved by the pace of nature, by the patience it takes to cultivate something meaningful.
It made me reflect on how life, too, sometimes calls us to sow seeds quietly, knowing that the harvest will come in its own time.
Read More:
It also planted a small dream in me: one day, to perhaps venture into wine farming, blending my love for earth, entrepreneurship, and intentional living.
Featured: My Thesis Got Published!
This year marked a deeply meaningful academic milestone for me: I published my master’s thesis and presented my research at the African Graduate Students Association (AGSA) Conference.
Completing my thesis was more than just an academic requirement — it was the culmination of years of inquiry, curiosity, and commitment to bridging ideas across continents and disciplines.
Being invited to present at AGSA made it even more special — it was an opportunity to not only share my work, but to be in conversation with scholars, practitioners, and changemakers from around the world.
As I look ahead to my transition into the tech industry, these experiences remind me that research, writing, and storytelling will always remain at the heart of my work — no matter the platform.
Up Next: One Year Into the MBA
As I close out the month of April, I’ll be taking a deep dive into what this first year of my MBA journey has truly meant.
From learning self-mastery over perfectionism, to embracing the powerful lessons that happen far beyond the classroom walls, this past year has been nothing short of transformative. I’ll also reflect on how my thinking around African innovation has evolved — and how new rhythms and routines are preparing me for what’s next.
Don’t forget to subscribe to get the updates directly in your mailbox!
April’s edition will be all about embracing the transition season — marking not just the end of my first year of business school, but also setting the stage for a major new chapter as I begin my Microsoft journey. I can’t wait to share these reflections with you.
Spotlight: Congratulations on your Distinction, Luckia.
It’s always a joy to see young leaders stepping boldly into their next chapter. I want to take a moment to celebrate Luckia Akim, who recently graduated with Distinction in her Bachelor of Arts in Journalism.
As someone who unexpectedly found herself in media production work during my time at the United Nations, I can attest that the world of storytelling, communications, and journalism is a powerful one — it shapes narratives, shifts perspectives, and builds bridges across communities. I am so proud of Luckia’s achievement and can’t wait to see the impact she will make with her voice, her vision, and her craft.
Congratulations, Luckia — the world is ready for your story!
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