Fedoma promotes I Save Project
Federation of Disability Organisations in Malawi (Fedoma) has said encouraging people with disabilities could help end the cycle of poverty and reduce the culture of begging for alms.
Speaking in Balaka last week during an evaluation and planning meeting for I Save Project for Dedza and Balaka, Fedoma head of programmes, Simon Munde, said economically empowering people with disabilities through a saving culture can propel people’s buying power.
“Inclusive village saving and loan [VSL] groups are helping to get people with disabilities out of the poverty trap and we want to enhance capacity of members to graduate into bigger business ventures,” Munde said.
He said economic advancement of people with disabilities will provide group members with easy access to cash, apart from promoting community integration and a safe place to save and access loans.
Balaka district disability forum chairperson Bryson Phiri said they have been overwhelmed with the response to inclusive VSL groups in the communities and the need to empower them on basic book keeping management skills which Fedoma provided.
The project, which was adapted from Uganda, is being piloted in Dedza and Balaka with funding from Norwegian Association of Disability (NAD).
