The African Harmony Collective has donated sewing machines to the women’s group of Chisomo Village Savings and Loan (VSL) in Zomba District, to help and empower them to become self-reliant.
The donation of sewing machines by African Harmony Collective was made possible with support from the Black Women for Positive Change Organization, based in the United States of America.
Speaking during the handover ceremony held in Mtima Village under Senior Chief Nkagula in Zomba, the Zomba District Gender Officer, Ruperth Kasendero, thanked the African Harmony Collective for donating the sewing machines to the Chisomo VSL women’s group.
Kasendero said the machines will help the women become economically self-reliant as they will enable them to earn income and improve their households.
He said that when women are financially independent, it helps reduce incidents of domestic violence in their homes, as research shows that financially dependent women often experience various forms of abuse.
Kasendero urged the Chisomo Village Bank group to avoid engaging in violence among themselves and in their households, as such behaviors hinder development.
He also called on other organizations operating in Zomba District to support women’s groups like Bank Mkhonde so that they too can become self-reliant and contribute to the development of Malawi.
“One of the root causes of violence against women is a lack of economic independence. These sewing machines will help generate income for business ventures, and ultimately, the women will become financially independent,” he said.
In his remarks, a senior representative from the African Harmony Collective, Dafter Molandi, said the organization decided to donate the sewing machines to the Chisomo VSL women’s group after seeing how hardworking and cooperative the group is.
Meanwhile, the secretary of the Chisomo VSL group, Aisha Mdala, thanked the African Harmony Collective for the donation of the sewing machines.
Mdala said the arrival of the sewing machines will enable them to start small businesses focused on tailoring clothes.
She encouraged women not to look down on themselves but to work hard in starting their own businesses so that they can be financially independent and avoid being subjected to abuse by their husbands.
