Ten years ago, a small group of passionate, slightly crazy women set off on an adventure that would change the course of our lives. The journey was called Elephant Ignite Expedition – 10 countries, 100 days, and thousands of kilometres in three cars called Courage, Hope and Love. It was more than an expedition. It became a chapter of our lives that would stay with us long after the journey ended.
A decade later, we were all back together again, celebrating friendship, reminiscing and creating new memories. And somehow, despite the years that had passed, the bond was still there.
One of the memories we returned to was Malawi — a place that holds a special chapter in the story of our journey, and one that reminded us just how much we shared, experienced and grew together along the way.
Travelling through Malawi with a circle of women is more than just a trip – it is a pilgrimage into the heart of Mama Africa, to connect with my dear friend Remke. On this particular day, the path led us to Mndaka Village, just outside Kasungu National Park. Home to 75 families, this community welcomed us with open arms and voices lifted in song. It was a joyous day that will forever live in our hearts.
As we arrived, a group of women dressed in their traditional chitenjes – vivid cloths alive with colour, pattern, and bold African designs – greeted us and gifted us our own chitenjes . . . and in that moment we were no longer visitors; we were sisters, woven into the rhythm of village life; embraced by a tradition that has dressed generations of East African women.
This day was a day of celebration. Together, we had helped raise funds for a borehole and water pump for the village. Before, women were forced to walk long distances to fetch water, risking dangerous encounters with wildlife. Now, with clean water flowing safely within the village, this burden of survival was lifted, and danger had been replaced with security.
We also marvelled at their beehive fence – a 600-metre-long living barrier that deters elephants from entering village farmland. Ingenious, sustainable and deeply connected to conservation, it is a testament to how humans can co-exist with wildlife. Nearby, the villagers also proudly showed us their oyster mushroom farm. Once reliant on foraging within the neighbouring national park, they now cultivate their own mushrooms, reducing pressure on protected lands, while strengthening their own economy.
Mndaka Village is proof that tourism, conservation and community can thrive together. And through it all, the chitenje – a colourful symbol of harmony. It became a special bond shared among us, joining women across borders, languages, cultures and histories. Women working together for the good of the continent and a beautiful reminder that our strength lies in unity.
Mama Africa held us close that day. Her spirit moved through the patterns, through the laughter, through the shared silence of recognition. We carried our chitenjes away not just as souvenirs, but as symbols of belonging – to each other, and to the great, unbroken rhythm of Africa.
