CHIDIDI SAVINGS & CAPITAL BUILDING PROJECT

Chididi Women Savings and Capital Building project is implemented thanks to funds from Volkart Vision and aims at enhancing the saving spirit of women in rural Chididi as a tool to eradicate poverty.
Picture
SURCOD's Executive Director, January Mvula, addressing people during the launch of the Chididi Women Savings and Capital Building Project
Picture
Women in participation in decision making. During one of the training session women were let to discuss in groups so that their views should be incorporated in decision making
OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT
  1. To reduce poverty which is very common amongst Chididi women due to much dependency upon men for their income
  2. To build the capacity of poor women in capital building skills, production skills and entrepreneurship
  3. To diversify family income through the combination of capital building skills, production skills, entrepreneurship skills and farming as a poverty reduction strategy
  4. To reduce gender based violence which is caused due to much dependency on menas their main source of income
  5. To encourage sharing of ideas between women as they will be engaged in group business
  6.  To promote family planning since the time spent with men will be reduced
  7. To train 300 women in business management and various production technologies

“Having a dream is important for saving – you can’t fulfill your dreams without money, and to have money you need to save”

Picture
Saving in progress at Chitsanzo savings group in Masimo Village, TA Malemia, Nsanje.
The group has managed to accumulate 50,000 kwachas in 9 months. The members are happy with the way they are saving and as one of the members, Christina Shawa, says: "before the coming in of SURCOD, it was difficult for us women to raise this amount, but after the training facilitated by the organisation, we are now able to achieve this. My life has really changed since I started this group and I am now dreaming of becoming a very big business lady."
Picture
The community is ready to transform. they don't care where they are meeting but what they want is knowledge which can transform their livelihood
Picture
A local leader encouraging women to save - The women went with their group savings constitution to be endorsed by one of the local leaders