By Blessings Makuwira:
Before the day’s bustle begins, Eneless Jackson is already at work in Kabota Village, Traditional Authority (TA) Mbela in Balaka District.
The mother of four carefully prepares batches of mandasi, hoping to attract customers as the village comes to life.
The proceeds from the business help put food on the table, meet household needs and pay her children’s school expenses.
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“Through the village savings and loans (VSL) group that I belong to, I have been able to improve my business and support my children with their education,” Jackson says.
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The business has restored her confidence in her ability to provide for her family and plan for the future, knowing that each day’s sales are helping build a better life for her children.
Several kilometres away in Makangata Village, TA Nsamala in the same district, Rose Aaron has also seen her fortunes improve.
She has expanded her second-hand clothing business while earning additional income from profits generated through her group’s collective investments.
“The VSL group has helped us improve our lives in many ways. Through the shares and profits we receive, I have been able to grow my business and better support my family,” Aaron says.
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Like Jackson, she is gradually building financial security, one investment at a time.
Their stories reflect a broader change taking place across Balaka District. Families that once struggled to make ends meet are now buying livestock, improving their homes and investing in farming.
Grass-thatched houses are giving way to iron-sheet roofs, while many homes have been renovated.
Some households have acquired bicycles, making it easier to reach markets and essential services, while others have bought goats and other livestock that provide both income and security.
The two women are among thousands of participants in VSL associations established under the Social Protection for Gender Empowerment and Resilience (SP-GEAR) Project, popularly known as Amai Titukuke.
The initiative complements the Social Cash Transfer Programme (SCTP), which reaches more than 1.3 million Malawians each year through monthly cash transfers to ultra-poor households.
It helps families build stable sources of income through savings, access to affordable loans and support for small businesses.
The Ministry of Gender says the programme aims to reduce poverty and inequality by helping women earn more, build stable incomes and better support their families.
“The government wants to protect and empower women to meaningfully participate in economic activities and improve their incomes so they can adequately support their families,” the ministry says.
The focus on increasing household incomes is also intended to improve children’s wellbeing.
Unicef Malawi says children cannot fully enjoy their rights when parents and caregivers lack the resources to provide for them.
“With this programme, Malawi can intensify efforts to ensure that children and women live in dignity, thrive and realise their full potential,” the UN agency, the primary implementing agency and channel for funds, says.
The European Union (EU), one of the project’s key financiers, notes that combining cash transfers with business support gives poor households a better chance of breaking the cycle of poverty.
It says women and girls in Malawi, especially those on the SCTP, often bear the brunt of poverty, discrimination and exclusion.
“This project seeks to change that narrative by providing them with tailored cash-plus initiatives that combine cash transfers with targeted interventions designed to enhance resilience,” the EU says.
The impact is also evident in Makangata Village, where members of the Zimbalame VSL Association have embraced collective investment.
The group comprises 27 members, including 26 women and one man, who jointly manage a tomato farming enterprise that generates additional income.
They have also invested in a motorcycle business, creating another revenue stream while strengthening the group’s financial position.
Speaking during a recent field visit, Find Your Feet Project Officer for Balaka and Ntcheu districts Jean Chitole expressed satisfaction with the progress made by the groups.
“We [as local implementers here] encourage the groups to continue expanding their businesses and exploring new income sources so they can better cope with future economic challenges,” Chitole says.
The government implements the SCTP through the Ministry of Gender to support ultra-poor and labour-constrained households.
Beyond supporting small businesses, the project promotes climate-smart agriculture, entrepreneurship and other income-generating activities that help families improve their incomes.
Every morning, Jackson returns to her cooking pot with a renewed sense of purpose.
The mandasi she fries are helping keep her children in school, put food on the table and give her family opportunities that once seemed out of reach.
