About our Founder

The heart of Somebody Cares Ministries

Theresa Malila – Founder & Ministry Overseer (FMO)

Theresa Caroline Malila was born 16th December 1952 in Cape Town, South Africa to a South African mother and a Malawian father. She is a mother of five children, and a grandmother of five. In addition to being the Founder and Ministry Overseer of Somebody Cares Ministries, she also holds the role of a traditional chief – Senior Group Village Headmen – in Malawi, thus giving her authority as a decision maker and a bridge between community and government policy makers.

She has spoken and represented the ministry both here in Malawi, across Africa and internationally at conferences and churches as an advocate for widows, orphans and other vulnerable children, and those who are affected and infected by HIV/Aids, to create an awareness and cause the church to rise up to be the voice of the voiceless.

In 2000, Chief Theresa was brought face to face with HIV/AIDS and the failure of the church when her brother died of HIV. Since that time, she has been passionately committed to helping the widows and orphans hardest hit by the HIV/AIDS pandemic, and the critically ill.  Beginning her ministry with nothing more than the ability to walk, a bible and a small jar of oil for praying and anointing in the peri-urban slum areas of the capital city of Lilongwe, the ministry now cares for 23 communities reaching thousands of individuals including orphans & vulnerable children, elderly widows and countless others who consider her their African “Mother Theresa”.

Theresa is a Tearfund “Inspired Individual” for her role as a champion bringing the church and traditional leaders together for community transformation; as well as for advocating for eliminating gender based violence. To this effect, she has raised up lay counsellors in community, including male activists. She has received recognition for her work as an inspired individual and has been named one of “100 Women: The Unseen Powerful Women Who Change the World”. She has been the keynote speaker on numerous GBV issues in Fiji (at the request of the EU), Uganda (Northern Uganda, Southern Sudan), South Africa, Canada, Zambia, the United States, and Great Britain at the request of the Archbishop of Canterbury.

She was named “Women of the Year” by Heart for Africa; and has been recognized for speaking truth to power, courage and compassion by SCLC/W.O.M.E.N., Inc. in Memphis, TN during a commemoration of Martin Luther King, Jr.  for empowering women and girls by raising awareness and understanding of the needs and concerns of women and women’s issues as it relates to human rights, social action, economic self-sufficiency, reduction of health disparities, political advocacy and leadership to build the self-esteem of women.

She continues to speak out against matters of gender based violence and challenges cultural values that inhibit the spiritual growth and development in community, championing community transformation and ownership through the church and traditional leaders.