STORY: Malawian youth embrace Chinese online shops to pursue entrepreneurial dreams
DATELINE: July 30, 2023
LENGTH: 00:01:25
LOCATION: Lilongwe
CATEGORY: ECONOMY
 
SHOTLIST:
1. various of Joseph Nambuzi at his shop.
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): JOSEPH NAMBUZI, Malawian entrepreneur
3. various of Joseph Nambuzi at his shop.
4. SOUNDBITE 2 (English) HOPKINS KAWAYE, Lecturer, Catholic University of Malawi
5. aerial view of a busy market
 
STORYLINE:
 
Some young people in Malawi have been harnessing the power of Chinese online shops to embark on their entrepreneurial journey.
 
28-year-old Joseph Nambuzi is a graduate of the University of Malawi, and now based in Blantyre, the second largest city in Malawi.
 
Even as a student, Nambuzi saw the potential in ordering computer batteries from China and selling them locally. After graduation, he continued this venture while working part-time as a biomedical engineer.
 
SOUNDBITE 1 (English): JOSEPH NAMBUZI, Malawian entrepreneur
"We order (our things) online, mostly use the Alibaba platform. My experience has been good. We buy from China and use the Chinese (logistics companies) to ship everything to us. So we have found it convenient."
 
Malawi's relationship with China has been marked by long-standing trade ties. 
 
Hopkins Kawaye, a lecturer at the Catholic University of Malawi, believed that Malawians can learn from the Chinese model.
 
SOUNDBITE 2 (English) HOPKINS KAWAYE, Lecturer, Catholic University of Malawi
"There is a kind of strong trade relationship between the two countries.
We can learn from the Chinese. We buy machines that can produce goods here and sell them to other countries. We should order machines that can produce goods. If we produce goods, we can sell them locally. If we can do that, it can be good for our economy."
 
Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Lilongwe.
(XHTV)