As the Bank seeks to meet the needs of the economically marginalized of Malawi, it has committed itself to the holistic change or "Transformation" of its clients. This includes providing the clients with basic information to HIV/AIDS, Financial, spiritual, Gender and social education either on its own or through strategic partners.
Through transformation programs the Bank is able to support active poor clients to gain and improve their living standards thereby restoring their Dignity, Authority, Security, Adequate provision, purpose, hope & Meaning, freedom & Appropriate boundaries, Authentic relationships & Love which gives the clients to experience the self reliance and belief.
THE GROUP
Wongani PTB was formed in the year 2008 and is located at Thondwe trading centre in Madeya village ,Traditional authority Mlumbe. The group was formed by Milllineum Development goal advised people from different areas around Thondwe to form groups inorder to access loans to boosts their business and living standards.the people thougth the loan was from Millineum development goals only to be surprised to be told the organization just facilitated in the process of group formulation but will be given the loan from Opportunity Bank Malawi.The members were the less privileged in society and as such had no hope of prosperity.Millineum development goals agreed with Oppportunity international bank of Malawi to help the clients in alleviating them from poverty through small loans.The group is comprised of 9 people and age range is from 30 to 45 years old. Most of the group members are married and have 1 to 4 children but one lady is a widow and has 4 children.
Wongani PTB having a monthly meeting
The group does business within Thondwe trading centre and most members have groceries shops,sell fish and others sell flitters. The groceries are purcahsed in Zomba Township which is a distance of about K200 one way and about 20 km from Thondwe trading centre. Most members who do fishing business go and buy the fish at Lake Chirwa and buy the fish at a cheaper or reasonable price. The challenge is that the fish gets rotten fast as such sometimes we operate in loses but we continue doing this business because it’s a cheaper relish for people around the area. Most members got the loan to boost their businesses and the first circle the highest got K20000 and the least got K5000. The members meet every month once to discuss about their business and family affairs. If business is not going on well they advise each other on what to do to achieve the groups goal of changing for the better.
Most of the group members are form four dropouts except 2 who are standard 6 dropouts. The members claim did not succeed with school because of lack of school fees”to be frank our parents could not manage to pay school fees for some of us” said the groups secretary,asked what they have done for this not to happen to their children they all echoed to say they are saving about K500 - K 1000 for their childrens education every week at the mobile van which goes to Thondwe on every Saturdays. The children are from standard 1 to secondary level. The members have hope that their children will continue with tertially education and each member should at least save money every week for the children.
Members of Wongani PTB go to Thondwe health centre a goverment hospital to access treatment and drugs which accomodates all surrounding villages of the hospital. Due to the areas poverty line most people flock to this hospital for medication as the drugs are for free and as such the hospital runs out of medicine frequenlty. Most members families suffers from malaria and are sometimes refered to buy the medicine in pharmancies which sometimes the medicines are not found.”we afford to go to Thondwe private hospital and the bill is from K600-K700 because of Opportunity bank we access the hospital any time without wasting time standing on a que and later to be told drugs are finished ndi mbiri yakale imeneyo we are free and a healthy group”boasts the group members while enchoing. Serious patients are referred to Zomba central hospital for medication.
Most of us used to live in leaking houses ndipo kukamada nkhawa zimakhala bii kuti ndikagona potani said one of the PTB members enchoed by the rest of the PTB members.The members boasts that they now have their own houses with 3 to 4 rooms,cemented,with iron sheets but with no electricity.We built these houses after getting a loan from Opportunity Bank Malawi, things are now going on well. The group has a vision of having houses with electricity. The members are able to spend about $1 for vegetables and tomatoes and afford eggs and meat atleast once a week,previously we used to sometimes go to bed on empty stomaches as could not afford to buy any food,our children were beggars in other peoples houses but now the other children the ones coming to beg from us.Anthu akumatisiliratu ife Opportunity bank yatithandiza.
Most members of the PTB take part in charity work of the area and most members are christians as such takes a role in the churchs programmes.Every member of the group is advised to attend any activity of the community like funerals and weddings and other ceremonies .
Elida Banda is a member of Wongani PTB and comes from Madeya village in the traditional authority Mlumbe. Elida is a widow and is 33 years old. She has 4 children and the oldest is 12 years old and the youngest is 6 years old. Elida joined the PTB in the year 2008 and she firstly got a loan of K5000.
Elida with her PTB friend
Elida with her PTB friend
Elida goes to Lake Chilwa in Zomba to buy fish for sale. She sells the fish at Thondwe trading centre. She spends two days to go and buy the fish and buys fish of about K20000 which she sells after a week for a profit of about K8000.She sells the fish in the market and claims has fixed and reliable customers who buys her fish on cash .Other competitors sell their fish at a cheaper price as such it affects her business which makes her to sell the fish at a give away price hence later not making any profits and the competitions also leads to the fish getting rotten before sell this also dencreases the capital as most of the fish are thrown away.
Elidas bench of fish at Thondwe market.The fish is put in heaps as it is sold 1 each at a price range of K15-35
Elida is a standard 6 dropout. Elida got pregnant while in standard 6 and as such she had to drop out of school. This caused her to get married early to the responsible man of her pregnancy,the then husband who is no more,kunena zoona ndinalibe chidwi cha sukulu although my parents had cash for my school fees. Her children are in primary school and the oldest is in standard five while the youngest is in standard 1 but has a passion for her children to reach tertially education. I don’t want my children to pass through the same problems I faced,school is very good says Elida.
Elida and the family member’s access medicine from Thondwe health centre a government hospital which saves people from surrounding villages of Thondwe. The treatment and drugs are for free as such congestion is the order of the day and the hospital mostly runs out of medicine because the drugs are free of charge. Serious patients are refered to Zomba Central Hospital. She manages to go to Thondwe private clinic which she manages to pay about K600.Her family mostly suffers from malaria.
Elida is now able to provide for her family necessities tinayamba kudya zothila mafuta panopa and lives in a 4 roomed house,glass thatched although with no electricity am happy.Her vision is to roof the house with iron sheets and have solar electricity for her house.
Elida takes part in many activities that takes place in society like weddings,funerals and other ceremonies.Elida is a member of Christ church and belongs to a member of womens guild and she is a church choir matron.Elida says will start to save more for her childrens future but the bank should atleast be going to the area the whole day as it goes once on a Saturday operating for few hours.
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