There is a new kid on the block: A freelancing platform that innovates job creation in Malawi
Every idea starts with a problem. Skillsway, a Malawian-based start-up is no exception to this philosophy.
Every idea starts with a problem. Skillsway, a Malawian-based start-up is no exception to this philosophy.
Soon after completing his Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE), Tionge Matela Msiska faced a bleak future, as his parents could not afford to pay his university tuition fees.
“I moved from the village to town [Lilongwe] in April 2007, and stayed with a cousin. He, too, didn’t have enough to pay for my fees,” says Msiska, the brains behind Skillsway.
But then it turned out that the Lilongwe-based cousin had a photocopy and printing shop.
“Since I had nothing to do myself, I took the initiative to learn computer skills at the printing bureau, all by myself. I didn’t have money to start a business or go to the university, but dared to overcome excuses in front of me.”
As fate would have it, a year later, Msiska met a rich lady who was then undertaking her Master’s degree. Strangely, the lady could not type because of aching fingers; therefore, she needed someone to help her.
“She then asked if I could type her assignments. With time, her husband started giving me typing jobs too from his consultancy business,” Msiska says.
In the process, this lady and her family kindly started paying Msiska’s university tuition fees.
“After graduation, I worked as a teacher while taking gigs in digital skills by the side. I eventually resigned from my teaching job and began to work full time as a freelancing consultant.”
And that’s how Skillsway was born, a platform for freelancers, as well as an exquisite marketplace for businesses in search of the right talent!
“Our drive is to unlock potentials and empower people to create their own opportunities without anyone's permission,” Msiska says.
“We are creating a world driven by the democratization of opportunities, innovation, and job creation.”
Situated in Area 47 Sector 2, in Lilongwe, Skillsway’s services include skills development, digital innovation, and talent management.
"We believe organizations, businesses and individuals who pursue causes for the greater good are the change agents our country and the world need. We aim at empowering businesses to achieve maximum results with minimum resources through access to dynamic talent and opportunities on our platform," Msiska says.
True: Every idea starts with a problem. Started as a solution to one man's problem, now Skillsway opens doors of unlimited opportunities as a freelance service provider.
The taste of the pudding is in the eating: why not Signup Now.