(Marcel Chisi- Co Founder)

The idea to found a youth movement was hatched by Marcel Chisi who was aged twenty at the time. He was a resident of Bangwe township, living with his elder brother. Immediately after the dawn of democracy he took advantage of the new democratic political dispensation which allowed citizens to form associations to advance their causes. Marcel Chisi was born from a family of devouted christians with a father who was serving as a Catholic Catechist at a local church and had learnt early enough that success cannot be measured only by the wealth people create but by the changes one brings to the community and the quality of service one offers to humanity. This was largely a lesson he learnt with his interactions with missionaries who had given up comfortable lives in their countries of origin instead to serve poor and marginalised communities in Africa. He was also inspired by the fact that his early schooling at secondary education level was supported by the Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Conception (MIC Sisters). He felt if other people founded movements that helped him and others, It was equally important for him to found a movement that can help others and the society at large.

 

On 27 October 1995, Marcel Chisi felt his idea for societal improvement needed to be shared with someone. At the time, having just arrived in Blantyre, his only friend was Joseph Mtemang'ombe and, as such, Marcel and Joseph discussed the ideas and devised a way forward.

Joseph was exited and together they agreed that if young people can be active and make positive contricbutions to society, they will be recognised and supported by the state and the society at large.

Marcel Chisi suggested that Youth needed to be active and that the movement become the Active Youth Movement (AYM). Joseph agreed and added that if they are active they would in turn help themselves and the society around them. This formed the birth of the Active Youth In Self Enhancement (AYISE).

The movement had now been created but Joseph Mtemang'ombe the co founder experienced pressure from relations who felt concentrating on a non-profit movement was counter productive to his personal progress. Hence, barely three months after the movement was born, Joseph Mtemang'ombe left AYISE and started work first at Blantyre Baptist school as a teacher, and later with the Malawi Broadcasting Cooperation as a technician where he still works today.

In the initial three months Marcel Chisi and Joseph Mtemang'ombe decided to condcut a social survey to identify the problems affecting the youth and the community, and to devise strategies for addressing the identified challenges together with the youth and the community.

The survey unveiled the following challenges:

1. Youth unemployment was high and there was a lack of meaningful participation and involvement of the youth in the progressive development of the nation
2. Increasing cases of HIV and AIDS throughout the country
3. A lack of education regarding human rights and democracy which led to misunderstandings among young people regarding Human Rights and democracy.
4. Wide-spread teenage pregnancies
5. An education system that failed to prepare young people for self reliance.
6. The degradation of the environment exercerbated by poor waste management and deforestation
7. Drug and substance abuse leading to a departure from positive African and Malawian cultural values
8. Lack of recreational facilities to keep the youth busy and hence help them refrain from dangerous activities.

Marcel and Joseph analysed these findings and saw that these problems were a series of interlinked challenges, all of which had to be addressed. This is the whole reason AYISE became and still is a multi-objective organisation.

The initial name of the organisation (Active Youth In Self Enhancement -AYISE) received resistance from society and other well-wishers as they interpreted "self Enhancement" to mean that the movement was designed to help the few youth who were active and abandon the rest.

In view of this, one year after its creation, the organisation changed its name to Active Youth Initiative for Social Enhancement (AYISE) in October 1996. The understanding at the time was that if young people can be active and develop positive initiatives, they would then help contribute to the enhancement of both themselves and society at large.

The name became widely accepted and has remained relevant to this date.

The organisation grew to such an extent that, on the 10th of July 1997, AYISE was legally registered as an organisation under the Trustees Incorporation Act of the Laws of Malawi.

Later AYISE registered itself with CONGOMA - Council for NGOs in Malawi.

AYISE also registered itself with the National Youth Council Act in September 1998 and the NGO Act in November 2003, as these Acts were created.

It is pleasing to note that what started as an individual idea, shared with a friend, has since become a nationally and internationally respected organisation serving communities and creating change in the lives of the poor and vulnerable populations of Malawi. It is in this regard that AYISE is largely regarded as an initiative that was co founded by two young people who felt there was need to enlist young people to particiapte in the development of their communities and the country at large.