Kamanda 5 Group

The Kamanda 5 Group is based in Rumphi and is a group of five determined entrepreneurs who are working hard to improve their livelihoods through farming and small business activities. All members are married and earn income through farming and running grocery stores, helping them provide for their households and create better opportunities for their families. Together, the group members support nineteen children.

Lucy is thirty-seven and a dedicated member of Kamanda 5 Group. She is married and a mother of three children. For the past eight years she has been running her farming business as a way of improving her family’s living conditions. She started this journey because she wanted to overcome poverty and create a more secure future for her family through her own effort and determination.

Over the years, Lucy has gained valuable farming experience and the business has been an important source of income for her family. However, limited capital has made it difficult for her to expand production and maximise the potential of her work. With her share of the group loan, Lucy plans to invest more capital into her farming so that she can improve production and increase her earnings. Her long-term goal is to buy a motorbike, which would improve mobility and make it easier to support future business growth.

The group loan will support all members of Kamanda 5 Group by helping them strengthen the businesses they operate. Members involved in farming will invest in quality farm inputs and production activities to improve yields, while those running grocery stores will purchase additional stock to better serve customers and improve daily sales. The loan will allow members to continue supporting one another, sharing ideas and business experience, and building stronger income-generating activities that help improve the livelihoods of their families.

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.