For many young people, having a skill is only the beginning. Turning that skill into a sustainable business often requires access to the right equipment, technical support, mentorship, and opportunities.

For Tadala Chazuka, a young fabricator and welder, the Zantchito Programme at UniPod is helping bridge that gap.

Tadala is currently working on developing a metal door protector, using her skills in fabrication and welding to create a practical product with the potential to grow into a viable enterprise.

Discovering the opportunity

Tadala first learned about the Zantchito incubation opportunity through an advert posted on the MUBAS Facebook page.

“I saw an advert on the MUBAS Facebook page, so I applied,” she explains.

After going through the application process, Tadala received the news that she had been selected as one of the program's incubates.

That opportunity has since opened a new chapter in her journey as a young entrepreneur.

Turning skills into a better product

With an Advanced Certificate in Fabrication and Welding, Tadala already had a foundation of technical skills. However, developing a product that meets consistent standards requires more than technical knowledge alone.

Through her work at UniPod, Tadala has been able to access technical assistance and work alongside technicians who have helped her improve the quality and specifications of her door protector.

According to Tadala, the support has helped her move from simply having an idea and the skills to produce it to developing a more refined product.

“I had the skills, but the technicians have helped me produce my door protector to a higher quality and meet standard sizes,” she says.

This hands-on support is an important part of the incubation journey, allowing young innovators to learn through practical experience while developing products that can respond to real market needs.

Looking beyond the project

For Tadala, the Zantchito project is not simply about producing a door protector. It is a stepping stone towards a much bigger ambition.

Her goal is to establish her own fabrication and welding workshop, where she can use her skills to create products and potentially provide opportunities for other young people.

“I have the skills. What I was lacking was the equipment to start my own workshop,” Tadala explains.

Through the support she has received under the Zantchito Programme, Tadala has been able to acquire equipment that will help her take a step closer to establishing her own workshop.

Encouraging other young innovators

Tadala believes that young people with skills and entrepreneurial ambitions should actively look out for opportunities that can help them turn their abilities into businesses.

She encourages aspiring innovators to follow platforms such as MUBAS and UniPod for opportunities to participate in incubation and entrepreneurship programs.

Her story is a reminder that skills become even more powerful when combined with access to equipment, mentorship, technical expertise, and opportunities.

At UniPod, stories like Tadala’s represent the potential of Malawi’s young innovators—young people who are not only developing products but also building the foundations of future enterprises.

From a welding and fabrication skill to a marketable product, and from a product to the dream of owning a workshop, Tadala’s journey is a story of skills becoming innovation and innovation becoming enterprise.

The journey continues.