Melissa Kalitera

What motivates you? 

My greatest motivation has been my family. I grew up with my mother’s sister and she has achieved quite a lot in life because of her dedication and hard work. Through her, I have appreciated what passion can do for a person and the people around you. My mother’s family is a matriarchal family in a patriarchal tribe, being raised in this setting and amongst successful women in what is deemed a "man's world," ignited my passion. I want to motivate millions of more girls that they can do it too.

What drew you to your professional field?

Energy is the backbone of development. I was drawn to this field because I believe this is the way to help develop my country. Secondly, the gender disaggregation ratio in the energy sector in my country has also been the reason I am focused on growing my career in the industry. I want to be
listed among the names of people who have made an impactful contribution to the energy sector. I wanted to also work towards having more women join the energy sector.

What is something from your country that you would like to share with the UC Davis community?

The warmness of my people and my country. We are generally very welcoming people and caring. Our country is also known as the Warm Heart of Africa. Stories have been told by people who journey through the country, they were taken care of by the people from the country. Malawi’s culture is rich in celebrating ubuntu. We have learned over time about grit and resilience.

How would you like to engage with UC Davis and the community here?

Through participation in community service, such as volunteering in the community; taking part in community-based events to understand the culture; and connecting with the facilitators for discussions, guidance, and knowledge transfer to expand my skill set and learn how to increase the impact of my work I would like to make long-lasting relationships with the UC Davis community.