In this episode of the Peaceful Hugs Podcast, hosts Mark Zahringer and Lorelei Cromer sit down with Temwa Wright — Executive Director of Pamoza International — for a moving and deeply inspiring conversation about faith, service, radical generosity, and what it truly means to help people help themselves. Temwa shares the remarkable story of how Pamoza came to be, from her father Dr. Mike Mtika's sociology students being so transformed by a trip to rural Malawi that they moved there after graduation, to Temwa stepping away from a comfortable career to take the helm of the organization in 2013 — a total walk of faith with three children and a family to provide for. She also recounts the unexpected, God-orchestrated chain of events that first connected her with Mark and Peaceful Hugs, and why she believes divine intervention is behind every meaningful partnership.

The conversation digs into what sustainable, community-driven development actually looks like — from village banks and demonstration farms to adult literacy centers born out of one woman's courageous request — and why handing out Bibles to a community where 60% of adults can't read is a powerful lesson in listening before acting. Temwa also reflects on the unique impact of seeing someone who looks like you show up to help, and why representation in mission work matters more than most Westerners realize.

Takeaways

If you want to go fast, go alone — if you want to go far, go Pamoza, together.
Sustainable development starts with listening, not assuming you already know what people need.
A hand up, not a handout: empowering communities to meet their own needs outlasts any program or donor.
$800 a year can send a young man to college — and one donor's "yes" can ripple into a career of service that impacts thousands.
Representation in mission work changes what people believe is possible for themselves.
Radical generosity isn't just about giving — it's about inspiring others to multiply that generosity forward.
Well-intentioned help without community input can do more harm than good.
Progress over perfection: don't let the pursuit of ideal outcomes stop meaningful forward movement.
God works in the background, even when — especially when — you can't see it.
True transformation is holistic: you can't address one need and ignore the rest.

Chapters

00:15 Welcome & How Mark and Temwa Met — A God Story
05:30 What Pamoza Means and the Proverb Behind It
09:45 How Pamoza Started: A Sociology Professor and 13 Students
14:20 Three White Women, Rural Malawi, and Killing Snakes
18:50 Temwa Steps Into the Executive Director Role — A Walk of Faith
23:10 Oil and Water: Working Alongside Her Father to Carry His Legacy
27:35 The CHIEF Approach: Five Areas of Holistic Transformation
32:00 Thomas's Story: $800, a Suicide, and a Programs Manager Born
37:45 Distributing 1,100 Bibles — and the Humbling Lesson That Followed
43:00 Ovaline's Request: Adult Literacy and Listening to Real Needs
47:20 Hand Up, Not Handout: The School Breakfast Program Story
52:10 When Another Organization Came In and Gave It All Away
55:30 How to Get Involved with Pamoza International
58:45 Final Reflections: Best Advice and What Everyone Should Read

Connect with Pamoza International
Website: https://pamoza.org/
Sign up for updates, prayer requests, and volunteer opportunities at pamoza.org

About the Peaceful Hugs Podcast
The Peaceful Hugs Podcast is a space for thoughtful, real conversations about faith, culture, purpose, and the stories that shape us. Hosted by Mark Zeringer and Lorelei Cromer, the show brings together voices from different backgrounds and generations to explore what it means to live with empathy — especially when the world feels loud, polarized, and quick to judge. At the center of it all is a simple idea: kindness matters, and we can't afford to lose it.