The Manyamula Community Savings and Investment Promotion Cooperative in rural Malawi is a vibrant force for local development. They provide low-interest loans, farming advice and assistance, and a maize mill for grinding the staple food, as well as a gathering place for community members.
So who is it that keeps this organization running smoothly? Spirit in Action is proud to support the salaries for this amazing management team! (Read more about why we fund operations.)
Winkly Mahowe – Programs Officer
Manages all projects
Visits and monitors maize mills; collects income and reviews records
Meeting hall rentals, manages 10 student tenants, and cleanliness of rooms and grounds
Rented, tilled and planted sunflowers on cooperative’s 5-hectare crop farm
Oversaw construction of oil press house, buying machine and equipment
Mobilization of local zone groups: making sure they meet weekly and are maintaining their pigs, goat, and nutrition projects
Panorama view of the COMSIP Cooperative training centre
Baxter Chirwa – Loans Officer
Helps people fill out loan applications
Ensures loans are repaid
Keeps a loan book. (There are 30 loans out at any given time. This open book adds transparency, allowing everyone to see the application form, loan amount, repayment period, and interest charged.)
Trains loan applicants and helps them adjust their business plans as necessary
Manages money flow between borrows and bookkeeper
Submits monthly reports on how much was disbursed, how much is still out, how much was received, etc.
Canaan Gondwe – Coordinator
Canaan with the cooperative’s peanut oil press
Oversees all cooperative operations
Approves (with two others) all funds going in and out of the account; supervises all bookkeeping
Meets with auditors
Monitors staff daily
Writes grant proposals and grant reports
Coordinates between management and Board of Directors
Maintains stakeholder relationships (i.e. with national COMSIP organization)
Keeps an eye on implementing the implementation plan
Michael Nyirenda – Bookkeeper
Manages everything financial
Keeps records with payment book, cash book, vouchers, and receipts
Manages all accounts, including grant accounts
Submits monthly reports, including challenges and suggestions for changes
Mercy Zimba – Receptionist
Opens the office daily
Receives visitors, cooperative members, and clients
Directs questions to the relevant management team member
Helps the other team members as needed
Manyamula COMSIP Cooperative team with Kathleen King (SIA Board Member) and me (Tanya) in July, 2019.
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