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How Village Savings and Loans Associations Empower Women in Chitipa

3/23/2022

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Lucky Katundu

Twambilire (not her real name), is 29 years old, a mother of three, and a member of Mwalala Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLAs). A Village Savings and Loans Association (VSLA) is a self-selected group of people, who pool their money into a fund, from which members can borrow.

The money is paid back with interest, causing the fund to grow. These saving and borrowing activities take place during a cycle of pre-determined length (typically 8 to 12 months), at the end of which the funds are distributed to members, in proportion to their total savings. Members are free to use the distributed lump sum as they wish, including reinvestment for another cycle. During their weekly meetings, the chairperson brief the group on the previous week's borrowing status and for members to repay the borrowed money.

Twambilire relies on the VSLA to meet her financial needs such as paying school fees for her children and medical emergencies. The group also provides a special fund for funerals that occur in the village. As such, the group has helped her avoid borrowing money in form of usury, locally known as katapila, from business persons in the community.

Currently, she dreams of a future where she will be able to meet all her household needs and purchase a solar panel for her house. However, to boost the capital in the association, they are planning to engage in an income-generating activity. This will allow members to borrow more money than they are currently borrowing. They have suggested introducing a pig farming club in the association. Twambilire says, "the group wants to buy five piglets and construct a pigsty for them. Each member will be contributing maize bran (madeya) as food for the piglets.

Pork selling is a profitable business, not only in the community and its surrounding weekly markets but also at Chitipa Town. Thus, the group will earn more income through sales and eventually raise the capital for the association. Therefore, Twambilire's dream will come true. She believes that the initiative will not only change her family's financial situation but also transform the community as a whole.

Members of Mwalala Village Savings and Loans Association.

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That One Good Act That You Need For Change

3/21/2022

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Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Sibongile Nyirenda

When COVID-19 was discovered, it took the world by storm. I was one of the individuals that was skeptical about this new disease. I always thought it was one of those diseases that would not affect my country. Unfortunately, Malawi was not spared from the pandemic. All I could see were rising numbers of people affected by the disease but I still had doubt that it would affect people around me. My family members and friends got infected by the disease and that is when I knew, this disease is real.

When I arrived in my community, I learnt that some community members had a similar mindset to the one I had until a health center near the community was closed due to Covid-19 and some members in the community were found positive in the previous year. Efforts have been made to make the community more aware of Covid-19 but some community members would rather not believe what outsiders are teaching them. I decided to work with individuals in my community to help sensitize fellow community members about Covid-19 prevention measures and vaccination. There were a lot of misconceptions about the vaccine and with the help of the sensitization team, these misconceptions were cleared and questions were answered.

The sensitization meetings were engaging. The community members I worked with decided to add an element of drama acts in these meetings. I was amazed by the talent these members have. They never had the time to practice or perfect their drama scenes but managed to come up with instant scenes that were so amazing and captivating. These drama acts brought life to the sensitization meetings and they were both educating and very funny. I was mostly intrigued by two young men who were spearheading the scenes. When I asked about their acting experience and if they had acted together before, their response was that they had never acted together but had recognized each other’s talents during one of the youth initiatives that was held in the community.
These drama acts are something that attract community members to sensitization meetings and can be used as a tool to reach both the young and old on topics about Covid-19 and other crucial issues affecting the world. It is safe to say that these individuals were an asset that was needed for the one good act needed for change. I am so excited to work with a community that is willing to influence change by using the assets within the community.

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A Life in Books

3/14/2022

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Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Grace Sichinga

If you are reading this blog, I believe it is fair to assume that you have received education in some form, whether informal or formal. Books certainly played an essential role in that education. Our ability to read, write, and understand depends on our exposure to a lot of things, especially books.

One of my fondest memories growing up was when my mum would take my brother and me to a bookstore. We would be able to pick so many books filled with adventure and lessons. I remember finding my first book on crosswords and how my love for crosswords grew from then onwards. Books can become a child's best friend and life companion.

The life of a student should revolve around books or at the very least, should have access to books. Books not only allow students to learn from them, but they also encourage students’ imagination.

Some of the benefits of reading books for students and children include; increasing the knowledge and improving their intellect. It also introduces students to the diverse societies and civilizations across the world. Books can also help students solve problems they may face from reading about different experiences. Reading about these experiences will make them more self-aware, empathetic, and compassionate. Apart from learning from experiences, books also help to improve students’ ability to think critically and analytically.

When students/children learn something at school, books help to instill that knowledge in them as they have something to refer back to. It helps them improve their memory and visualize what they learned in class, as such they can easily remember what they learn in the future. One of the fastest ways to improve a child's vocabulary is through reading books. Books are filled with new words that help modify and increase our vocabulary.

Although books are evidently immensely beneficial, not all students or children are able to access books. This is the case for some of the primary schools in my community. Through my community engagements as a CorpsAfrica Volunteer, I engaged with the leadership from two primary schools in my community that have a shared need for books, learners’ books as well as teacher’s guides. The students in the schools have limited or no access to all sorts of books, from educational (school) textbooks to fun books. These schools lack the books to form a proper library, from which their students can easily borrow. As such, I saw that there is a need to be met. That is why I came up with this initiative to appeal to the public to donate books, school supplies, and money that can help the students from these schools. This school supply drive is currently still running till the end of the month of March 2022. The kids and I will be eternally grateful for any help you give.

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The Little Things That Make Me Smile as A CorpsAfrica Volunteer

3/12/2022

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Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Sibongile Nyirenda

I must admit that it was really hard to move away from my family to a new community. The period of integration though exciting did not come easy for an introvert like me. Dear Reader, do not think I was locked up in my house all the time. No, I embraced the challenge and enjoyed the idyllic activities of rural life such as attending community meetings, chatting with the women at the community borehole, and participating in community events. My all-time favorite activity, however, was going to the community trading center to buy snacks.

Being in a community where you need to learn a new language and interact with people you barely know, it is important to find new ways to cope and adapt. I have had tough moments where I doubted myself and felt like quitting. It was during these moments that I relied on the little things that put a smile on my face to overcome my apprehensions.

Firstly, I am learning how to bake a chigumu (local cake) using a mbaula (local stove). This is particularly exciting for me because baking is one of my favorite hobbies and I have always used an electric stove. I am also learning to prepare local foods I have never cooked before. Secondly, I have partially adopted my neighbors’ two cats. I love pets hence the daily visits and snuggles from these furry friends puts me at ease and make me feel less homesick. Thirdly, I volunteer at my community’s health center. The sense of helpfulness I get after every shift puts a smile on my face. Thirdly, I have a personal kitchen garden. When I cultivate a variety of crops, I look at each product I get from the garden as an accomplishment. Fourthly, I am in constant communication with my fellow volunteers. The calls and chats are so therapeutic and they are definitely something to smile about. After every call and chat, I feel motivated to continue being a CorpsAfrica volunteer. Lastly but not all, a friendly greeting from a community member always lifts my spirits. I believe a greeting should never be underestimated because they are usually conversation starters and welcoming.

These little things that make me smile might not be extravagant but they are something. As I embark on a new phase with my community of project identification, project proposal writing and all the works, I leave you with the words of Andy Rooney, “If on the other hand, happiness depends on a good breakfast, flowers in the yard, a drink or a nap, then we are more likely to live with quite a bit of happiness”.

Sibongile during one of her shifts at the local health center.

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I am a Knight: Inside the Knight Family

3/10/2022

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Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Mr. Jolex Chicco Kaundama

Everyone is able to freely share about everything. The fears, the stories, the joys, the sorrows, the new culture, the language, the food... It is good to meet again. Good to be encouraged by family members who are facing similar challenges and same experiences. Good to get applause from the success stories, projects, and any other accomplishments so far. Family time is at times an emotional one. We experience streams of tears from the fountain top of everyone’s eyes. Of course, these are tears of joy, yes tears of laughter, and maybe tears of pride for embarking on this life-changing adventure. An adventure not to live for your own but for others as well. An adventure to serve. This is part of the family time we are having as Cohort 5 of CorpsAfrica Malawi Volunteers also known as the Knights.

Down the memory lane…

After being deployed to communities as CorpsAfrica Malawi Volunteers in November 2021, the integration process followed. Settling in a new community away from home could not be any simple and easy for anyone in our Cohort 5 team. After four months down the line of service was time for the first in-service training (IST 1). It was time to connect again with my fellow Knights and share experiences. I was prepared to share my stories and encounters from my site. I looked forward to sharing the success stories and challenges just as I wanted to hear and learn from others.

More to the IST 1 is a bond that has been sealed amongst my fellow Volunteers and the Malawi CorpsAfrica staff. Tell me of a great hardworking and vibrant team with high work ethics and I will show you CorpsAfrica Malawi staff. The training content was well prepared and delivered. I can confidently say that I am more geared and readier to serve my community more efficiently. Our maintenance activity to wrap up the training was a trip to the most beautiful lake with fresh-water, Lake Malawi. The fun, the games, the view and of course my favorite part, the food were all amazing and refreshing.

Back to my community…

Now, I am back to my beloved site as we continue to redefine development by designing community-led projects with community-led solutions. My mind is at peace, my strength keeps getting stronger for I know I belong to a big clan of CorpsAfrica, and my family is called The Family where my safety is safe. I am a Knight!

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In the Shoes of a Girl Child

3/7/2022

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Written by CorpsAfrica Malawi Volunteer Ms. Tusekile Munkhody

Being aware of the adventure of living in a rural community, I had a lot of preconceived expectations of how life would be, the people, culture, and values that define what a traditional society is. Among the things was the plight of the education of a girl child considering many stories I have heard growing up. Arranged marriages and early marriages are common in many areas and have greatly led to school dropouts. Settling in the community, expected to find a number of such cases. Unfortunately, I never heard of any cases. I thought all was rosy that the community was free from such instances. Alas! My judgment has been poor. After weeks of blending with the community, I was introduced to the school committee. The first meeting I attended proved my expectations right, the meeting was to address school dropouts which were on a rise due to early marriages.

With keen interest, I followed the proceedings of the meeting. It was shocking learning of the strategy the community has in marrying off young girls, that even young girls and boys have adopted. Being an area near the Malawi-Mozambican border in Mwanza, the school-going girls and boys cross the border to get married and seek refuge for fear of getting their marriage dissolved and others for fear of facing the law for marrying a young girl who is a minor. It pained me and I resolved to start Volunteering at the local school to act as a role model and interact with a few girls from my community who had dropped out of school.

I had a chat with one of the victims, Rabecca , who is currently nursing a child. She said she dropped out of school in standard 7 and got married. Her learning difficulties in class made her lose interest in school. I heard her say; ‘‘natopa ndi sukulu koma aphunzitsi adadandaula" (I got tired of school, and my teachers got disappointed with my decision). She further explained that she dropped out for no reason but most of the girls do because they have a man in their lives who promised to take care of them. Another victim also explained that her challenge was poverty and she said: ‘‘ndimati ndikalowa n'class chomwe ndimaganiza ndikuti tikadya chani kunyumba’’ (I would think of what we going to eat when I get home rather than concentrating on my studies).

Through these stories, I made my resolve and promised to make a difference and start Volunteering as a teacher with an aim of inspiring young girls. I believe this will inspire many young girls in my area because they will be able to look up to me.

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The Untold Stories

3/6/2022

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Written by CorpsAfrica Malawi Volunteer Adorah

Volunteering in my community and helping people there, gave me the opportunity to see other corners of this country, and other people that have the same goals and the same purpose. I met people from different backgrounds, religions and cultures each with their own ideas, experiences and desires living together in harmony. We got to share so much of these with each other. Volunteering at a secondary school was what I can explain as one of my integration or networking sensations, where we heard from each other different perspectives and realities.

My personal experience as a Volunteer at the secondary school, I met a boy named Waliko Matola (pseudonym). Waliko was absent from school for at least two days each week. Whenever he made it to school, he was very bright and active in class to an extent that one would notice if he was present or absent on each given day. One Thursday I gave my students a test and he managed to get the highest score than everyone else. I called him under the mango tree and had a one-on-one chat for at least an hour. In that conversation he told me how he is a breadwinner for his family because his mother had been sick for some time now and they have been without a father for as long as he could remember. He said he has two younger siblings and they are all looking up to him to eat every day. He said he does piece work which helps him find money to buy food for his family as well as drugs for his sick mother. ‘This isn’t a big deal though, but when I add fees to that list, it now becomes very tough.’ He said. Currently I am working extra hard so that I can also pay for my school fees since they have already started to send me back from school. This is making me work on two fields to find the fees in time. He said. This was making him work even during school days to finish in time and pay up the fees before the examination period. At this point, I didn’t have the strength to ask more questions until this day. I did not know that it was possible for a 14-year-old to pass through what he was passing through and still manage to be strong enough to endure it all. But still I needed to probe more to understand his situation better. Waliko looked at me, sad and said; ‘Madame, it’s easy to give up when you know someone else will come through for you. But when you know you are all there is, giving up is never an option. I nodded with pain in my heart and told Waliko that he has a very bright future and he should never give up on it. I then went ahead and informed the head teacher everything, and he said it’s very unfortunate that he did not know this. He then called me a few days later and informed me that Waliko has been added to the bursary program and he will be given back the fees he already managed to pay this term. This made me so emotional knowing one future has pulled away from distraction. When I called him to break the news to him, he cried and hugged me and promised to work so hard in class. Together we smiled, joked and laughed for it was well with our souls. I now know that it doesn’t take one to be rich to change another person’s life. But even just with enough empathy and a listening ear, we can.

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