Biography

Gookani Mary Kajombo is a young development professional with a Bachelor’s degree in Social Science, majoring in Development Economics, from the University of Malawi. She is dedicated to promoting equitable growth and empowering rural communities across Malawi. Her foundation in leadership began at the University of Malawi, where she served as Vice-Chairperson of the Economics Symposium and a year representative at the University of Malawi SDA Church. These roles strengthened her ability to facilitate cross-disciplinary dialogue, coordinate peer initiatives, and connect economic theories to practical, real-world development challenges.

Her professional experience at the Zomba District Council Planning Department, under the Director of Planning and Development, has strengthened her capabilities in community-level development work. Gookani conducted field verification and prioritization for Constituency Development Fund (CDF) projects for 2025. She also participated in District Executive Committee (DEC) meetings, district technical working groups, and civil society organization meetings, and processed multisectoral data for monthly and annual district reports. Beyond administrative monitoring, she directly supported field research as a supervisor for Save the Children’s RED II Project and assisted communities affected by heavy rains in the district.

With a keen interest in health economics, children’s welfare, and youth development, Gookani is driven by the belief that sustainable development is for everyone and that every aspect of life contributes to it. She is excited to join this cohort of CorpsAfrica Volunteers to contribute to the goals of Malawi 2063 at the grassroots level by working directly with rural communities to support initiatives that improve livelihoods.

Outside her professional work, Gookani enjoys hiking.