Comsip to empower communities with assets

Farming households in Dedza are expected to benefit from a Community Savings and Investment Promotion (Comsip) asset transfer programme which will see each of them receiving an asset worth K150 000.

Malawi’s population still faces widening gaps in equality, increasing social marginalisation with no sustainable livelihood options. Poverty and vulnerability are also widespread.

So, many people need social support to help them meet their basic needs.

Speaking in an interview Wednesday, Comsip’s business and marketing officer Ernest Jumbe said the beneficiaries will be those already under social cash transfer programme in traditional authorities (TA) Kaphuka and Kachindamoto.

“The 100 households will be given assets to be used for businesses.

They were given a chance to choose an asset and individual households’ choices include groceries for starting up a shop, farm inputs and implements for irrigation farming, livestock, sewing machine and bicycles taxis,” he said.

Jumbe said the programme is being implemented under the social protection graduation model.

“The transferred asset works as a catalyst for the beneficiary to engage into sustainable income generating activities and financial access to move the household away from consumption and idle labour to more productive self-employment,” he said.

Jumbe further said each beneficiary household will receive an asset worth K150 000 this month.

Meanwhile, Comsip is training the beneficiary households before they receive the assets.

One of the beneficiaries Regimani Limbikani of Gosheni Cluster in T/A Kachindamoto said he has planned to start bicycle taxi service once he gets his asset.

“I chose to have bicycle taxis because many people walk long distances to and from the hospital in my area. So there is potential for money. People pay between K1 400 to and from hospital at a distance of 11 kilometres,” he said.