Dr. Joyce Banda was the first female President of Malawi, serving in office from 2012-2014. Since the age of 25, President Banda has been involved with grassroots projects focused on bringing about positive change for women, particularly in education. Her lifelong ambition has been to help women break the cycle of poverty.
President Banda's many accomplishments include forming the Joyce Banda Foundation for Better Education, the Young Women Leaders Network, the National Association of Business Women, and the Hunger Project in Malawi. In 2006, she received the International Award for the Health and Dignity of Women for her dedication to the rights of the women of Malawi by the Americans for United Nations Population Fund.
In 2010, President Banda became a member of the Global Leaders Council for Reproductive Health, a group committed to advancing reproductive health rights for lasting development and prosperity. President Banda is the founder and leader of the Malawi People's Party, formed in 2011.
President Banda is a friend and supporter of Planet Aid and its local Malawian partner DAPP Malawi.
