Participants under the Social Support for Resilient Livelihoods Project (SSRLP-Tidzidalire) in Sub-Traditional Authority (ST/A) Masanya in Ntchisi District say the project is a stepping stone from poverty.
Through the project’s livelihoods support component run through the Community Savings and Investment Promotion (Comsip) Cooperative Limited, they have found a way out of poverty through vocational and business skills under the Comsip-led social support initiative.
One of the beneficiaries is Jacob Manyusa, 49, from Bzyobzyo Village in ST/A Masanya in the district, who used to work under the SSRLP’s Climate-Smart Enhanced Public Works Programme (M’bwezera Chilengedwe) and underwent vocational skills training as part of interventions to improve ability to generate income.
From living under the poverty line, Manyusa a successful member of Sambafumu Village Savings and Loans (VSL) group benefitted from the VSLs, mindset change training and carpentry skills in which he participated.
Said Manyusa: “The trainings have changed our perception of many things. We started our VSL in 2024 and in December when we shared our savings, I realised over K300 000, which I used to buy additional tools for my carpentry workshop.
“Through the loans and savings, I now have a cow, a
better house and enough food because I apply Mbeya fertiliser to my crops.”
Another beneficiary, Julliana Teudulo, boasts of building a decent house besides a second hand clothes business she is running.
She said: “I also rear pigs, rabbits and chickens and I’m able to send my children to school, besides feeding my family well.
“Other than individual wealth, the VSLs under Bzyobzyo Cluster also have pigs which they rear as a group.”
Under the SSRLP, Comsip is training beneficiaries vocational skills, how to run businesses and supporting them with seed capital to expand their ventures.
The World Bank and the Social Protection Multi-Donor Trust Fund partners of the UK-Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Norway, Iceland, Ireland and the European Union are supporting the SSRLP through the National Local Government Finance Committee.
