Well-known female musicians Temwah and Theresa Phondo were unveiled by the National Youth Council of Malawi at the end of June as the voices behind the 2025 National Youth Summit theme song, titled Kuthekera.
The song was released later in June through social media platforms.
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The anthem captures the spirit of this year’s summit theme: Harnessing Youth Innovation for Economic Empowerment and Job Creation Towards Malawi 2063.
It serves as a rallying call for young people to recognize their potential, unleash their creativity, and utilize their talents and ideas to build a brighter future for themselves and their communities.
Temwah told the Malawi News Agency (Mana) that her passion for youth empowerment was the main driving force behind creating the song.
“The inspiration is coming from my passion for youth empowerment. Many young people are struggling to earn a living, so this song is meant to encourage them that they can grow and thrive by starting businesses without feeling stuck.
“They can make a difference by changing their mindset, not just looking forward to being employed. The key message is that young people should be wealth creators, and all we need is a mindset shift that reflects Malawi 2063,” Temwah explained.
She also encouraged young people to persevere despite challenges, emphasizing that life must go on.
On her part, Theresa Phondo said the song was created to celebrate the capabilities of youth in building Malawi.
“I sang this song with Temwah in line with the National Youth Council’s mandate to empower youth to rise up. We are celebrating youth creativity and hustle, and we look forward to a brighter Malawi by 2063. We are encouraging young people to fully harness and embrace their talents, ideas, and innovations so they can create economic opportunities, generate jobs, and transform communities,” Phondo added.
In a separate interview, the Director of Programmes at the National Youth Council, Williot Lumbe, explained that Kuthekera was one way of empowering young people.
“We see young people as individuals who have perhaps lost hope. To empower the youth, we have utilized various forms of media—such as poetry, newspapers, and music, including the Kuthekera song. Our goal is to encourage young people to transform and change the narrative of waiting for employment instead of focusing on developing their talents and skills,” Lumbe stated.
Temwah and Theresa Phondo will perform live at the National Youth Summit, scheduled to take place at the Bingu International Conference Center (BICC) in Lilongwe this week.
