Katsala 5 Group

Katsala 5 Group is a motivated team of five married entrepreneurs from Ntcheu who are actively engaged in farming, livestock production, and the sale of tomatoes and Irish potatoes.

The group supports 14 dependents and is united by a shared commitment to building sustainable livelihoods through agriculture and small-scale trading, where each member’s success strengthens the entire group.

Lekeleni, one of the members of the group, is 33 years old. For the past nine years, she has been involved in farming, livestock keeping, and selling tomatoes, building her business step by step to secure a better future for her household. Lekeleni is married to a farmer and raising three children, alongside another relative under her care.

Lekeleni's decision to start her business was driven by the need to consistently meet her children’s school fees and ensure they have access to basic necessities. Through determination and steady effort, she has managed to grow her farming activities into a reliable source of income.

Lekeleni now wishes to focus on expanding her agricultural activities, with a particular interest in adding poultry farming in the near future to diversify her income streams. Her ambition reflects her commitment to long-term stability and improved living conditions for her family.

Lekeleni's portion of the loan will be used to purchase essential farm inputs, including livestock feed and quality agricultural supplies, which will help improve productivity and output.

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.