Girls Empowerment Network (Genet) Malawi has trained 46 girls from Traditional Authority (T/A) Mavwere in Mchinji District in entrepreneurship to empower them socioeconomically.
Besides the training, the organisation on Saturday facilitated a learning visit to a pig farm and a tailoring shop, where the girls interacted with business owners and got practical lessons in entrepreneurship and sustainability.
Speaking during the visit, some of the girls said the experience exposed them to practical lessons that demonstrated the importance of innovation and perseverance in running a business.
One of the beneficiaries, Jean Njolwa, said the training equipped her with the knowledge and confidence to start a small-scale business.
“We have always wanted to start our own businesses, but lack of capital has been our biggest challenge. This project gives us the foundation to move forward,” she said.
Another participant, Victoria Josia, said the mentorship opened her eyes to new opportunities in agribusiness.
“I used to think pig farming was only for men, but now I understand it can be profitable for anyone willing to learn and work hard,” she said.
Group village head Kachingwe commended Genet for the initiative and urged the girls to share the knowledge with their peers.
Genet project officer Chikondi Malemia said the initiative aims to promote women’s economic independence through business training and mentorship support.
She said the training helped the participants to reflect on what constitutes a successful business and how to effectively manage different enterprises.
“As part of supporting young women economically, we will provide start-up materials for various small-scale businesses identified by the girls within their safe spaces,” said Malemia.
The organisation is implementing the initiative under the Empowered for Employment (E4E) Project with funding from Christian Aid.
