Authorities have singled out community savings and investment groups as key to uplifting the livelihoods of the citizenry.
The observation follows success registered by members under COMSIP savings and loan groups with members in Chiradzulu district recording savings of over K300 million.
The district is implementing Climate Smart program and the Social Cash Transfer program under the Social Support for Resilient Livelihood Project (SSRLP), a government of Malawi project funded by the World Bank and the Multi-donor Trust Fund.
Under the program, COMSIP Cooperative Union is implementing a Livelihoods program by capacitating beneficiaries of the two programs with knowledge on business and financial management, and promoting a culture of savings and investment, as means for improving their living standards.
Chrissy Mmangisa fromT/A Likoswe in Chiradzulu district, is a member of Nguludi COMSIP Cluster whose life and that of her family have transformed.
Through COMSIP, the 70 year old Mmangisa received a graduation package of K390, 000 which she invested in a business selling cooking oil, maize and legumes.
“COMSIP trained us on market research and how to achieve customer satisfaction, now my business is booming and I have many customers from Ngulidi Mission Hospital. I generate about K120, 000 per week and with the help of my grandchildren, I am currently constructing a brick house with iron-sheets roofing,” said Mmangisa joyfully.
Life for Lucy Mpando and her family was very tough before she became a member of Mwayiwathu Cooperative in Chiradzulu district.
Her household became beneficiaries of the Social Cash Transfer program where she received K9, 000 a month which was not enough to carter for all her household’s needs.
However through Mwayiwathu Cooperative, Mpando is narrating a different story as her soap making business has afforded her family of five, an improved livelihood with financial stability and access to nutritious food.
After receiving the graduation package as business capital, Mpando purchased materials for soap making and currently she and her two fellow members supply soap to a local company SEBO Farming, and every month they collect sales revenue of about K500, 000 collectively.
“At first, the only food in my household was Msima (maize pulp), but now I can afford chips and chicken whenever I want, my three children are going to school comfortably with no worries for school fees,” said Mpando
Meanwhile speaking to MIJ Online – Catherine Kawerenga – District Coordinator for COMSIP Cooperative Union Limited in Chiradzulu said COMSIP groups have assisted beneficiaries of the SSRLP project in the district to achieve food and financial security, with a collective savings of K300, 888,000.00
Under the Livelihoods component, COMSIP also invested K1 billion for Legumes Enterprise Structured Program (LESP) to enhance food security and income generation among households participating in the SSRLP program to cultivate legumes such as beans, groundnuts and soya beans as well as white and orange maize varieties.
Mibawa Cluster in Chiradzulu district is one of the COMSIP groups that benefitted from LESP through support to procure farm inputs and the group cultivated pigeon peas in this year’s farming season, with expected income of about K4.5 million from the sale of their produce.
“Under LESP we received support of K680, 000 which we used to purchase seed, water pumps and pesticides. Despite weather challenges we managed to produce 4500 kilograms of pigeon peas (approximately 90 50kg bags) which we are keeping until prices pick up on the market because currently buyers are offering K1, 000 per kilogram,” said Dorothy Lapukeni, Community Facilitator for Mibawa COMSIP Cluster which has 44 members.
Lovemore Kachala – Community Development Officer for Chiradzulu District Council said a significant number of beneficiaries have gained financial management skills from the project.
“There is significant transformation in the livelihoods of our community members benefitting from social protection programs because under COMSIP they have been capacitated to engage in economic activities that have improved their wellbeing,” said Kachala
Chiradzulu district started implementing the Social Support for Resilient Livelihoods Project in 2021 and currently there are 318 COMSIP groups and 240 Clusters with a membership of 6,531.
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