Malawi: Renewing hope for lost dreams

By Wezzie Banda, World Vision Malawi Communication Officer

It was a long walk.

Twenty-nine-year-old Zione Chikwawa’s dream had just been smashed. As she walked the 30km home from the bank, Zione reflected on her past.

She thought about her four children, about her husband and their farm. She thought about her oldest daughter Hispo, who was in Grade 1, who was often chased away from school because she didn’t have a uniform.

She wished it wasn’t this way. But Zione and her husband couldn’t afford anything extra – not even a uniform. Their crops and livestock barely provided enough to survive.

Dreaming of Success
For a long time, Zione imagined herself as a successful businesswoman, someone who could support her family.

In November 2011, Zione travelled to Liwonde, a trading town located some 30km from her village. She planned to visit the banks and to get a loan. It was time to make the dream a reality.

Being cautious of soaring interest charges and lengthy application procedures, Zione for 10,000 Malawi Kwacha [about 35 US dollars].

Despite the small request, the commercial bank asked for collateral.

Persistently, Zione travelled back to her village and convinced her husband to use their three goats as loan security. After furnishing the bank with necessary details, Zione was told to check back after a period of four weeks.

When she returned a month later, the news was not what she had anticipated.

Zione was told she could not access a loan because the goats she used as security had no serial numbers.

Having her hopes quashed, Zione dejectedly walked back home not knowing what to do.

Renewing Hope
In January 2012, World Vision started conducting training on village banking in Zione’s community.

“When World Vision shared about the village banking concept, community members were very excited,” Zione explains. “My dreams of running a good business were rekindled and I was in forefront of mobilising women in my village to form small banking groups.”

Zione became a founding member of Tigwirizane Accumulated Savings and Credit Association (ASCA) in February 2012, along with 20 other members – all women who earn a living from small scale farming and small businesses.

Since its inception, the group’s members meet every Thursday. They share knowledge on how to expand their small business, make business plans, borrowing and lending money, creating savings and buying shares.

Margret Lapiyasi, 30, is the chairperson of the Tigwirizane savings group.

“I am hopeful that more village banking groups will be formed because people can’t afford to borrow money from commercial banks due to high interest rates,” Margret says.

Creating Opportunity
In April 2012, Zione borrowed 15,000 Malawi Kwacha [53 US dollars] from the savings group.

She used the money to open her own small business that buys and resells rice and laundry soap.

“I am hopeful that one day my business will grow and I will be able to provide more support to my children,” Zione says, who dreams of establishing retail shop in the future.

Already, the business is generating success. Two months ago, Zione was able to buy a uniform for her daughter Hispo.

“I felt very embarrassed being chased out of school due to lack of uniform,” admits seven-year-old Hispo who regularly escorts her mother to savings group meetings.

“I would like to join the group in future,” Hispo adds.

Besides buying a new school uniform, Zione nows feed her children meals every morning before they go to school.

“Life has slightly changed since I joined the Tigwirizane ASCA. Unlike in the past where food was scarce, my children can now afford to eat a decent meal,” Zione says.