Bester Gondwe epitomizes what it means to be a virtuous woman and mother. After the death of her husband in 2010, Bester was a struggling widow with four school-aged children. With limited economic opportunities in rural Malawi, life is precarious for a woman in her position.
Although Bester attended church, she did not give her life to Christ until 2015. She is now fully committed to the work of God, as is evidenced by the way she lives her life. She volunteers in her church, helping to facilitate weddings, funerals, and other church-related events. She is a role model to several women in Zowe. But her commitment to Christ is most evident in her own home, where she has raised her children in a godly way, teaching by example, caring for others in her community, and bringing her children to church and Bible study. Her children are all believers whose lives reflect God’s presence. Her son Thomas, a recipient of the Pamoza Scholarship, shares his testimony here.
Bester was raised in a small village in rural Malawi and dropped out of middle school. However, she deeply appreciates the importance of education and has worked very hard, with help from Pamoza International, to provide an education for her children. Her son is a graduate of Bunda College of Agriculture, two daughters attend the Natural Resources College, and her youngest daughter is a freshman in high school.
When Pamoza was establishing itself in Zowe, Bester volunteered to be part of the Steering Committee as a chairperson to spearhead development. She has a passion for community development, pursuing economically sustainable projects, and spreading the gospel. In 2016, she participated in a micro enterprise development training program and is currently the owner of a small store at Euthini trading center. She has also found success in farming, growing various crops and raising pigs and chickens.
Bester’s life is a testimony, and she describes it this way: “After the death of my husband, I really experienced God’s grace. I have no reason to doubt God’s providence. The Bible I received from Pamoza has helped me to read God’s words all the time. I now want to focus on God’s work and raise my children in a godly way.”
