Here’s the rewritten version in fluent, natural English:
In 2019, while Emmanuel Jekete was still in secondary school, his mother’s Canadian employer invited him to try a climbing wall in their garden in Lilongwe, Malawi’s capital. Jekete found it easy to scale the vertical wooden board with plastic holds, but when it angled outward at 25 degrees, he struggled – and was instantly captivated.
Now, Jekete is among a growing community of young Malawians passionate about climbing and eager to see the sport flourish in their country. “I was one of Malawi’s first indoor and outdoor climbers,” says the 23-year-old during an interview at Lilongwe’s Climb Centre. “I knew I’d become a pioneer in this sport.”
Jekete, who works as a personal assistant at a mining company, climbs three times weekly with friends on bouldering walls – angled wooden structures with plastic grips climbed without ropes. Monthly, they venture outdoors for roped climbing. “No matter how stressful my day is, climbing clears my mind,” Jekete explains. “It’s like therapy.”
His friend Moses Kalirani, who began climbing with Jekete in 2019, recently returned to studies after working as a coach and gym manager at Climb Malawi. “I love the sense of community,” Kalirani says. “We’re all working together to build something bigger than ourselves.”
The climbers hope to break the perception that climbing is only for foreigners. “I want more locals to join,” Kalirani adds. “It’s currently dominated by international participants.”
Climb Malawi began in 2018 when Canadian Tyler Algeo (Jekete’s mother’s employer) built a climbing wall in his backyard. By August 2019, it moved to its current location. The nonprofit operates on a pay-what-you-can model, with suggested donations that are substantial in one of the world’s poorest economies. Most equipment comes from international donations.
Ed Nhlane discovered climbing in 2019 while running a tour company. “I was hooked immediately,” he recalls. The pandemic taught Malawi’s climbers self-reliance when most foreign climbers left. While they’ve developed their skills, Nhlane notes they still need international support for equipment, training expertise, and competition funding.Global Dispatch Newsletter
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### Malawi’s Rising Climbers Make Their Mark
In May, Malawi’s climbing team, Climb Malawi, competed in their first international event at the Pa Mitengo gym in Lusaka, Zambia—the country’s debut on the global stage. Malawian climber Mphatso Brooklyn Kazembe took second place, narrowly losing to a local athlete—though he admits he expected to win.
Kazembe impressed everyone by effortlessly scaling routes that others struggled with. He even repeated one climb while carrying two five-liter water bottles and another time with a friend clinging to his back. His peers admire him, calling him a “superstar,” “Hulk,” and “incredibly strong.”
For Kazembe, a journalism student and content creator, climbing has been a source of peace since he started in 2021. “I turned to climbing during a tough time in my life,” he says. While he dreams of going pro someday, he adds, “Right now, it’s just my escape.”
Nineteen-year-old Cele Nhlane, introduced to climbing by her uncle at 15, has even bigger goals. She hopes to represent Malawi at the Olympics and become a mountain guide. “It’s about believing in yourself, pushing limits—that’s why I love it,” she says.
Climbing is gaining traction beyond Malawi’s capital, Lilongwe. Two climbers have set up a gym in Blantyre, the country’s commercial hub, while outdoor climbs continue to attract newcomers.
On a recent Sunday morning, the Climb Malawi team gathered in Nathenje, just outside Lilongwe, scaling cliffs in an old quarry near a secondary school. Among them was Braven Franklin, a student trying climbing for only the second time. “It’s amazing,” he says. “I love going high, reaching the top.”
Photograph: Amos Gumulira/The Guardian
The Climb Malawi group at Nathenje hill. Outdoor climbs take place once or twice a month.
