Maya Stewart

COO and Co-founderβ€’Yellow Africa
Malawi
Founder

Connect

Expertise

Social Entrepreneurship
Renewable Energy Distribution
Pay-as-you-go Business Models
Financial Inclusion
Solar Technology
Business Development
Strategic Management
Project Management
Sales and Logistics
Budgeting
Negotiation
Energy Advocacy
Clean Household Technology Distribution
Resource Mobilization
Digital Retail Services
Last Mile Distribution
Fundraising
Leadership
Financial Modeling
Innovative Financing
Adaptability and Resilience
Product Marketing & Demand Creation
Program Strategy & Leadership
Green Technology Scale-up
Primary Sector
Retail
1Roles
0Investments
-Raised

Biography

Maya Khonje-Stewart is a Malawian entrepreneur and social impact leader with over 15 years of experience in business and social entrepreneurship. In 2018, she co-founded Yellow, an African fintech and asset financing company providing pay-as-you-go solar home systems and financed smartphones to rural households across Africa. Yellow has become Malawi's largest distributor of solar home systems, delivering energy to over 500,000 customers and smartphones to more than 65,000 people. In 2012, she founded the Maeve Project, bringing fuel-efficient cookstoves to rural Malawi, leading campaigns that resulted in the sale of over 2 million cookstoves. She is a dedicated Rotarian serving with Rotary Club of Lilongwe District 9210, passionate about renewable energy, business development, and environmental sustainability.

Education

U

Bachelor's Degree in Business

United States International University

U

Master of Science (MSc) in Strategic Management

University of Derby

2012-2014

E

Master's Degree in Financial Economics

Erasmus University Rotterdam

U

Master's Degree in Development Studies

University of Malawi

In progress

Languages

EnglishSwahili

Awards

  • πŸ†EEP Africa Rising Energy Leader (2020)
  • πŸ†Africa Digital Champion (2021)
  • πŸ†African Power & Energy Elite (2022)
  • πŸ†Africa's Women in Energy Leader (2022)
  • πŸ†MIGA Gender Leadership Award: Innovation through Female Entrepreneurship (2023)