Talent Tuesday with Sandra Machinjili 💫👸🏾🇲🇼

Sandra Machinjili is a feminist who is passionate about the need for equality. She is a legal practitioner, currently in litigation. She works at Nyirenda & Msisha under the supervision of Modecai Msisha, SC. This work has worked with organisations that empower women such as the Women Judges Association of Malawi and the Women Lawyers Association. She is currently working under a strategic litigation project for the Women Lawyers Association. This project protects female victims of sexual harassment by providing them with the requisite legal advice and representation. In 2018, Sandra, alongside Beauty Kambewa and Ulemu Kanyongolo co-founded Pamchenga Literacy Club to improve literacy among children through drama, arts and sports. This queen recently became a board member of Women Inspire, an NGO that empowers young women and girls from rural and underprivileged communities. Sandra has also been working on her advocacy skills and recently attended a training programme in trial advocacy hosted by Justice Advocacy Africa, with participants from across Africa. She is a member of the Rotaract Club in Blantyre, which regularly engages in charity work. Sandra observed that feminism is important not only through the way it affects our laws, but also in the general landscape of Malawian society. This phenomenal queen’s core focus is legal research, drafting, taking instructions and providing advice to clients. She is also responsible for developing and implementing litigation strategies, attending court and liaising with private and public bodies on various legal matters. Sandra, however, admits to facing some challenges in her work, particularly prejudice she says is rampant in professional circles. Her greatest achievements so far was being admitted to the Malawian Bar and joining a prestigious profession full of well-respected peers and academics. This queen advises young girls to always focus and put themselves first. She urges the importance of having a clear vision and working towards it. Sandra also encourages girls to pursue their goals because if they don’t, they will never know whether they would succeed. She said her parents always used to encourage her by telling her she is a shooting star, which has stuck with me to date. Sandra said all girls are shooting stars capable of breaking barriers.