"In 1989, I started the National Association of Business Women. We incorporated microfinance and different job training for women. We did a survey, with USAID, that found women lacked training, credit and information."

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Source: Malawi's head of state: 'Why I'm selling presidential jet'. Interview with Athena Jones, www.cnn.com. June 21, 2012.

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Joyce Banda

Politician

Joyce Banda is a Malawian politician and the first female president of Malawi, known for her advocacy for women's rights and social justice.

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Joyce Banda Politician

"Most African women are taught to endure abusive marriages. They say endurance means a good wife but most women endure abusive relationship because they are not empowered economically; they depend on their husbands."

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"The first time I was privileged to meet president Mandela was during his visit to Malawi... shortly after he was released from prison. I was amazed by his humility and his great sense of leadership... Mandela's character has shaped my life."

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"It is only when a woman is economically empowered that she can negotiate at household level with her husband about the number of children that body of hers can have."

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"Lula da Silva was my hero when he was president. I Googled him so many times. The fact that he got 20 million people out of poverty... that happened by encouraging entrepreneurship, by supporting small business."

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Joyce Banda Politician

"What I am saying every day to Malawians is that time has come for us to move from aid to trade. We have picked several sectors that we think we can focus on immediately in order for us to grow our economy. So we have decided to diversify agriculture, we decided to develop our tourism sector, we have decided to develop our mining sector."

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