Comsip empowers Karonga communities

Communities in traditional authorities (T/As) Kilupula and Mwirang’ombe in Karonga District have commended Community Savings and Investment Promotion (Comsip) for empowering them economically.

In an interview on Friday, Kalumwezi Cluster member Agnes Msonda of T/A Mwirang’ombe said Comsip’s interventions helped them to sustain government’s safety nets.

“We became participants in Climate-Smart Enhanced Public Works Programme in 2020. We worked on conservation activities and Comsip instilled a culture of saving and investment in us which has transformed our lives,” he said.

Another member, Samuel Mkwala, said the mindset change effect challenged them to do businesses and be self-reliant.

“We realised it was our responsibility to eliminate our households’ poverty by using the money wisely,” he said.

Gomezgani Cluster member in T/A Kilupula, Margaret Munthali, commended the institution for various trainings and seed capital to do sustainable businesses.

“We were guided on how to do profitable businesses as we graduated from the Social Cash Transfer Programme. Each person received K300 as capital,” she said.

Comsip development communications officer Mercy Chaluma said they strive to move Malawians out of poverty.

“We work with participants of Public Works Programme and Social Cash Transfer Programme to help them embrace a saving culture and do businesses,” she said.

Comsip empowers beneficiaries of Climate-Smart Enhanced Public Works Programme, which is sub-component of Social Support for Resilient Livelihoods Project, with support from the World Bank.

It also trains Social Cash Transfer Programme beneficiaries on investments.