YOUTHS TEST NDALE M’MANJA CHATBOT AHEAD OF NATIONAL LAUNCH
By: Kassim Kajosolo
The Malawian National Youth in Politics (MNYP) has successfully conducted a youth testing session for its latest digital innovation, the Ndale M’manja WhatsApp Chatbot, which seeks to equip young Malawians with political education and engagement skills.
The testing session, held at the organisation’s offices in Mzuzu, brought together ten young people who interacted with the chatbot and shared their feedback to help fine-tune the tool before its nationwide rollout.
Executive Director Raymondo Chifundo Magangani described the chatbot as a milestone in using technology to promote civic participation and youth empowerment.
“We had a wonderful session where young people came to test our digital tool, the Ndale M’manja Chatbot. Before launching it nationwide, we wanted the youth to try it out and share their feedback for further improvement,” said Magangani.
He added that the initiative is youth-centred, designed to belong not only to the organisation but to all young Malawians.
“We believe this tool does not belong to our organisation alone, but to the youth themselves, and together, we shall build it. Their feedback will help us make the chatbot even better,” he said.
The Ndale M’manja Chatbot is a WhatsApp-based digital innovation that delivers interactive lessons and modules on political literacy, governance, and participation. It is intended to help young people understand political systems and encourage them to take part in local and national decision-making processes.
Magangani said the shift towards digital learning was necessary due to the limited capacity for in-person training.
“Since our capacity to conduct physical training sessions is limited, especially for youths aspiring to join politics, we found it wise to use a WhatsApp-based chatbot to reach more young people,” he explained.
With an estimated 32 percent of Malawians active on social media platforms such as WhatsApp, MNYP believes the innovation will enable the organisation to meet young people where they already are.
The project is being implemented with support from the Digital Democracy Initiative, the Digital Action Lab, and CIVICUS World Alliance.
MNYP’s selection for the Digital Action Lab marks a major milestone, as it was one of only ten organisations globally chosen from a pool of 958 applicants across the Global South, a recognition of Malawi’s growing presence in digital civic innovation.
“This recognition shows that Malawian youth are ready to lead the digital transformation in governance and democracy,” Magangani added.
Meanwhile, Yilinase Chawinga, a young politician and first-year Development Economics student at the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR), has commended MNYP for introducing innovative tools such as the Ndale M’manja Chart Board, which complements the chatbot.
Chawinga, who recently contested as a ward councillor in the just-ended general elections and came second, described the tool as a vital step towards inclusive political education.
“The Ndale M’manja Chart Board is very great and easier to use. It has simplified modules that make a learner easily grasp what is being said,” she said.
She further observed that access to credible information is critical in shaping responsible and informed citizens.
“Information is an asset. A lack of knowledge and information is what makes more youths remain behind and resort to unnecessary drama online,” she noted.
Chawinga added that such innovations will help motivate young people to take an active role in politics and governance.
“It will make them feel the need to actively get involved in politics, hence improve our representation at local councils and in Parliament to effectively amplify our voices,” she said.
Beyond politics, Chawinga also works as a digital skills facilitator and advocates for the elimination of early child marriage, causes she believes are central to youth empowerment, particularly for girls.
She hailed MNYP’s global recognition through CIVICUS as a symbol of hope for young Malawians committed to building a digitally aware and politically engaged generation.
“It’s inspiring that MNYP was among only ten organisations selected globally from a pool of 958 applicants in the Global South,” Chawinga said.
As the Ndale M’manja Chatbot prepares for its official launch in the coming months, optimism remains high that it will ignite a new generation of digitally empowered, politically informed youth ready to drive Malawi’s democratic transformation.