Social cash transfer empowers women
Women under the Social Cash Transfer Programme in Senior Chief Mwakaboko in Karonga District have said the monthly stipend has transformed their lives.
To get the most of the stipend, the women in 2018 formed Tisungane Village Savings and Loans (VSL) group to invest part of their money to generate interest.
In an interview on Wednesday, Tisungane VSL secretary Sophia Ngeregha said they have managed to venture into various businesses after sharing the dividends.
“Some women opened restaurants while others ventured into rice farming and cooking oil and soap production,” she said.
Ngeregha said the group’s savings have risen from K50 000 in 2018 to K3 million currently.
“Women have accumulated assets such as goats and others have constructed decent houses,” she said.
Ngeregha commended Community Savings and Investment Promotion (Comsip) Union Limited, which taught them financial literacy, business plan and loan management under the Social Support for Resilient Livelihoods Project (SSRLP).
One of the members, Asha Mwarukuta, said she saw the stipend as capital to help her get out of poverty.
“I built a decent house using money I invested in businesses,” she said.
Another member, Sikitu Mwaibasa, said investing money in the group has helped members grow their shares.
Karonga district principal social welfare officer Tiwonge Mbale said the council has at least 7 400 VSLs under the SSRLP.
He also said government intends to raise the monthly stipend beneficiaries receive.
Malawi government is implementing SSRLP project with funds from the World Bank and Social Protection Multi-Donor Trust Fund through National Local Government Finance Committee
