Malawi’s 4th President, Joyce Banda, has received two distinguished international awards on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly(UNGA).

A statement from her office says Banda who is among Africa’s celebrated stateswoman in the World, bagged the awards in two different high profile ceremonies in New York.

Among the awards is, Trailblazer in African Politics and Champion for Women’s Rights and Social Justice recognizing her leadership labelling Banda as a beacon of hope and resilience.

Speaking at one of the events, one of the organizers, Justina Mutale, praised the former Malawi leader for her transformative leadership.

Meanwhile Banda has described the awards as an honor and recognition of her commitment towards uplifting the and empowering women and young people.

“I accept these Awards with profound humility and gratitude. For me, they signify a great recognition of the work I have been doing for over four decades – work rooted in a simple belief that we must uplift the poor, empower women, and give our young people a chance to dream,” she said.

The second recognition Banda was conferred with the ‘SOS Global Servant, Leader for Peace Award an honour that specifically recognizes her outstanding contribution to advancing Higher Education for women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Master of Business Administration (MBA).