Mawango 1 Credit Group

In Dowa, the Mawango 1 Group is a hardworking team of five married entrepreneurs working together to improve their livelihoods and support their families. Together, they care for three children while running businesses including fish, vegetables and clothing sales, and managing eateries. Through shared responsibility and mutual encouragement, the group creates a strong support system where each member’s progress contributes to the wellbeing and stability of all.

Christina, a 48 year old entrepreneur married to a farmer, is one of the group’s dedicated members. For the past four years, she has been buying and selling cereals including maize, to earn a living and support her family. Through her hard work and commitment, she has built a steady source of income and created employment opportunities for four people in her community.

With her share of the loan, Christina plans to buy more maize to increase her stock. This will allow her to meet customer demand, improve her sales, and grow her profits. As her business expands, she will be better able to support her household and strengthen her financial stability. Looking ahead, Christina hopes to open other businesses and keep livestock, creating additional sources of income and long-term security for her family.

Christina’s journey reflects resilience and determination as she works to create a better future for her family. As part of the Mawango 1 group, she benefits from mutual support and accountability, knowing that her success contributes to the strength of the entire group.

The Microloan Foundation, Lendwithcare's local partner in Malawi employs a unique 'centre' model for lending to female entrepreneurs. A centre comprises several sub-groups which share the same name as the centre. As such, you may have seen similarly named group loans from Malawi all belonging to the same centre. In this system, each woman is individually responsible for repaying her loan, but the group offers mutual support by assuming overall responsibility together.