Photo: Gonzalo Bell / Shutterstock
A superhero mom.
By Zayda Slabbekoorn
Last updated on Feb 15, 2024
This 24-year-old Malawian woman, Tusaiwe Munkhondiya, is not just a mother, but a superhero. After experiencing a lonely and difficult childhood, she created exactly the space she knew she always needed — providing a home, food, and love for vulnerable children in Malawi.
Munkhondiya founded the YANA Home and Foundation in 2020, which houses her 30+ children and advocates for more than 500 foster children.
Whether it’s 4 AM wake-ups to prepare food, expanding her business to provide for more children, or advocating for a more honest mental health discussion, this superhero does it all.
In a now-viral TikTok, she shared exactly the work she puts into maintaining and growing her huge family.
The mom’s video of her 4 AM morning routine sparked interest in her busy and incredible life.
With a new house to house her children through the YANA Foundation, this mom’s preparation for the day likely comes with much more responsibility than a typical mom. With bowls of food and tons of plates, she records how she meal preps for all of her children, filling each section with homemade food and moving to the next.
Drawn in by the determination and courage radiating through the screen, viewers quickly realize how incredible this routine really is. In the comments, she appreciated the love from viewers, as many thanked her for the work she does and commemorated her for her grace in doing so.
Honest in the comments, she explained how her family expands every single day, saying, “The police and chief bring abandoned and homeless children every week. That’s why the number keeps increasing each month and week!"
Munkhondiya has opened her home to over 30 new children through her life-changing organization.
In an exclusive with The Africa Brief, Munkhondiya opened up about her motivations for her foundation and what she strives for every day with her kids. After being abandoned as a teen mother, she fought daily to advocate for herself, her circumstances, and her son.
"I became pregnant at the age of sixteen. People at home began to look down on me, and I lost many friends and even dropped out of school at the time," she said. "That was the first time I realised how difficult it is to be a single mother."
After finding out that her son was autistic, she quickly realized the shortcomings of resources and safe education opportunities available for vulnerable children. Once she realized there was no safe space for her son, just as she lacked when she was younger, she devoted her life to creating one.
“I’m glad that every time I see my son, I’m inspired to do better because I’m doing it for him,” she says, “This is for the benefit of my community. If I give up now, it will be difficult for others to stand up and create something similar.”
Haunted by her childhood, Munkhondiya actively advocates for vulnerable Malawian teen mothers and children.
Not only are her motivations extremely personal to her, but her foundation also directly combats alarmingly high child poverty rates in Malawi, her home country. She uses TikTok to tell her story, both for her and her children, describing the many struggles vulnerable children in Malawi face, such as sexual abuse, abandonment, and homelessness.
“It is critical to remind these children, as well as anyone suffering from any type of mental illness, that they are not alone and that with the right support, they will heal.”
Living in Malawi where teen mom rates are higher than ever and having been a teen mom herself, she devotes her time to creating space for their success.
So while her morning routine might be ambitious, she’s paving the way for Malawi children to attain the success they deserve.
To support Munkhondiya’s YANA Foundation or to see more of her beautiful children, follow her TikTok or make a donation on her website.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a news and entertainment writer at YourTango focusing on pop culture and human interest stories.