Malawi
The Chipulikano Mayi Wala Group is a group of 10 women aged 45 on average, who have 45 children. The group is located in a rural part of central Malawi called Mzimba. The women of this group typically sell groceries and are also involved in the solar energy business.
Florence Jere, aged 60, is a widow and mother of 5 children. She sells groceries from her home and decided to join a Mayi Wala group because she would like to improve her family's livelihood and positively impact her community.
This group of women are part of a large solar lighting project being implemented by Lendwithcare partner, SolarAid. The aim of the project is to bring clean and affordable light to every household in some of the most remote parts of rural Malawi. The project in total hopes to reach 10,000 households in 20 locations and install Solar Light Systems that will provide a rural family with most of their lighting needs.
Just one solar light has a transformational impact on the life of a family:
- Over the lifetime of a solar light, a family can save $545 of their income from no longer having to buy dangerous candles or kerosene lamps. Instead, savings are spent on food, school fees and improving livelihoods.
- 97% of solar light users feel safer at night due to no longer risking open flames and increased security from solar lights.
- 33% increase of children doing their homework after dark
By using groups of local women, the project is not only providing alternative income-generating activities for these women but it also creates a network of local solar agents who are best placed to reach rural communities and households. This group of women will be supported by local partners, SunnyMoney and FEBCO, to identify households in need of lighting solutions, help the women sell their products and support the family with installation and maintenance.
This loan will enable the women to purchase 500 Solar Light Systems that they will sell to households in their community on a pay as you go scheme, which means the households will be able to pay for their light systems in instalments rather than in one lump sum making them much more affordable and accessible for the community.
The Solar Light Systems consist of:
- Three bright and efficient lamps, each operating at 200 lm per watt.
- Three brightness levels to cater to varying lighting needs.
- One robust and long-lasting solar panel
- One smartphone charger holder
- One wireless wall-mount light switch
- One wall-mount battery hub with practical display and keypad
- And extras to help households expand and customise their systems by adding additional batteries, panels, lamps, and other components.
The group will sell each Solar Home System for approximately $53.46, giving the group a profit of approximately$15.94 (per light). The aim is to invest these profits back into the business to help the group establish sustainable energy businesses in their local communities.
The loan will be repaid in 24 months once the Solar Home Systems have been installed. This loan from Lendwithcare will be used to purchase the necessary solar stock and the aim is for the home installations to take place in February 2024. Once the systems have been installed, the groups will have two months to set-up the payment schemes with their customers and start collecting repayments before they start making repayments on their loans to Lendwithcare. Therefore the first repayments on these loans are not expected until April 2024.
Loan added: 2 January 2024
Chipulikano Mayi Wala Group's loan repayment schedule
| Date | Expected repayments | Actual repayments |
|---|---|---|
| £2,100.69 | ||
| £0.00 | ||
| £0.00 | ||
| £0.00 | ||
| £875.28 | ||
| £875.29 | ||
| £875.29 |
The above amounts are indicative, based on the exchange rate the day this loan was added to the website. The actual amounts you will receive will be based on an exchange rate at the time the repayment is returned to your account. See our Help Centre for more information.
