VSL changes Mulanje man

   By Redson Damalekani                                                                                         

 For a long time, life had been difficult for Duncan Ntope  45, a father of four children who hails from Kamwendo village in Mulanje District. Duncan has been selling second hand clothes since July 2010 when he started the business with only K5000 initial capital (about $20).

Second hand cloth market at Kamwendo

Since then, his daily sales could hang between K1500 and K2500 ( $5.7 and $9.6) not enough to meet the daily family needs.
In November 2011, Duncan joined Chiyambi Village Saving and Loan Group facilitated by ADRA Malawi. A few months later, he borrowed K25, 000 ( about $96) from the VSL Group to boost his business.

Chiyambi VSL Group in session

Speaking in an interview, Duncan said he can now make daily sales as high as K12000 (about $46).
He said his life has changed and can now afford basic family needs, including sending his children to school. Duncan also hinted that he is dreaming big and recently, he sent one of his children to Soche Private Secondary in Blantyre, something he never imagined would happen to him.

ADRA Malawi through the Action for Social Change Program  is working with various community based groups and individuals to bring about society and individual change. The Action for Social Change Program is being supported by Denmark.