Mary James, 50, of Chiuja Village, Traditional Authority Kawinga in Machinga District reminisces about how her life used to be.
Then married and with five children, she made the bold decision to leave her matrimonial home because she could not stand being co-wife to three other women.
“I feared my husband would infect me with sexually transmitted infections. Four women were too many and I longed for my independence,” she said.
James felt betrayed and abused for not being consulted about her husband’s polygamous intentions.
She sought help from victim support groups in her locality who referred her to a village savings and loan (VSL) group under the Spotlight Initiative (SI), partly funded by UN Women Malawi Country Office.
SI is a gobal partnership to eliminate all forms if violence against women and girls.
There, she got a K150 000 grant to start a business.
Determined to improve her life and that of her children, James rented a two-acre land at K70 000, planted rice where she harvested 100 bags and sold them at K6 million.
With the proceeds, James bought a motorbike which brings in about K10 000 daily, bought five goats, chickens, doves and built a house.
She later rented another two-acres land at K60 000 where she grew maize and groundnuts.
James displayed her wealth during a UN Women media tour last week, including stacks of maize, which she is yet to account for as she is still harvesting.
“Now my husband is back and I am his only wife. He is impressed with me and decided to leave the others at my request,” she said.
Amina Jakisoni, 41, lost her husband in 2011 and his family grabbed all their property.
Desolate and with three children, she initially got a K5 000 VSL loan in 2012 and started selling banana fritters and beans.
In 2020, she got a K150 000 grant, expanding her business by including fat cakes.
She also opted to grow maize, groundnuts and rice on two-acres, one-acre and one-and-a-half acres, respectively.
“I built a house, a boys quarters and a shop which has K3.3 million worth of merchandise from where I collect K250 000 daily on a good day and K100 000 when business struggles,” she said.
VSL promoter Thokozani Nkhoma said UN Women provided a K3 350 000 million revolving grant which was given to 22 people, each getting K150 000.
She said the grant is part of a training on gender-based violence (GBV) the organisation provided.
Nkhoma said their village bank gives between K5 000 to K15 000 loans to members as business start-packs.
She said they partnered with Emmanuel International Malawi and they have a memorandum of understanding on business capacity.
According to Nkhoma, more women opted for farming because it is profitable.
“The programme has benefited women as they are now able to work independently and make decisions. They can buy livestock, build houses, understand GBV and stop it.
“They don’t just sit idle and depend on men financially, they are able to speak publicly and send children to school. In a village set-up, culture relegates women to observers, so these are not mean achievements,” she said.
UN Women deputy country director Fatima Mohammed was impressed with the women’s confidence in talking about their experiences on violence.
“By expanding their businesses from nothing, they are breaking barriers mentally and physically. It is a demonstration of resilience of a Malawian woman. It is also a demonstration that women can lead in change,” she said.
Mohammmed said UN Women is proud to be part of the change.
She said such stories are part of their pushforwards four–year strategy for gender equality and women empowerment with men as their allies.
Mohammed said there is need to reinforce sustainability of such programmes that are benefitting many despite a global pushback that is affecting funding and risking such projects.
