JB drums up support for women 

F

ormer president Joyce Banda says women have the potential to turn around the country’s economic misfortunes as long as they are adequately supported.

Speaking during Malawi Broadcasting Corporation’s (MBC) Zokonda Amayi Macheza event at Sunbird Nkopola Lodge in Magochi on Saturday, Banda said, among others, women need to be supported in farming which is one of the drivers of Malawi’s economy.

She said: “Our women have what it takes to transform the country. They have the capacity to engage in serious farming which can result in the harvest of more crops that can be exported and generate foreign currency, redeeming Malawi from forex challenges.”

Banda further said through numerous businesses including village savings and loans groups, women can start from small business owners and gradually transform into large business owners if they can be adequately supported.

While boasting of her personal success story, the former president said it would, therefore, be imperative that the government, organisations, banks, and other stakeholders support women with loans so that they can transform Malawi’s economy.

In her remarks, MBC board member Limbikani Kamlongera described the Zokonda Amayi Macheza initiative as a success saying brings together various women to network and share ideas.

She said the taxpayer-funded institution will continue with the initiative as one way of encouraging women to network and share ideas as well as using it as a platform for women’s empowerment in Malawi.

The Zokonda Amayi Macheza initiative was introduced by the public broadcaster through its radio programme which is broadcast on its Radio One that bears the same name.

The idea behind the programme was for women to pass greetings to family and friends, and later transformed into an annual event for the women to meet in person.

Some of the notable people that attended the event, which was held on the sidelines of Mother’s Day celebrations, included Deputy Speaker of Parliament Aisha Mambo Adams, Anti-Corruption Bureau director general Martha Chizuma, Malawi Institute of Management acting executive director Jessie Kabwira and MBC director general George Kasakula. n