BY WATIPASO MZUNGU JNR
Group Village Headman Pasani of Blantyre complained last weekend that his area is the least developed in the district.
Pasani has since made an appeal to government and its development partners to consider bringing development projects to his area.
Speaking when officials from the Italian charity organization, International Committee for the Development of People (CISP), visited Tayamba Candle Making and Thandizo One Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) in his area, the chief wondered why his area lacks development when it is close to Blantyre City.
“Of all the communities in Blantyre, it is my area that lags behind in terms of development. We don't have piped water, no access to electricity and other basic necessities,” Pasani complained.
“It is as if we're not living in town,” he added.
Apparently, CISP is facilitating the introduction of income generating activities (IGAs) and VSLAs in the districts of Balaka, Blantyre and Lilongwe with an aim of promoting the saving culture and encouraging rural masses to do small scale businesses so that they can remain economically active.
Pasani commended CISP for facilitating the introduction of IGAs and VSLAs saying they have partially addressed the socio-economic challenges among women and the vulnerable groups.
CISP IGA/VSLA expert Maclean Mtokota said his organisation is implementing various development 29 VSLAs in Blantyre alone and that Pasani is one of the villages that have benefited.
“We aim at instilling saving culture amongst the community members and encourage people to do small scale businesses so that they can remain economically active,” said Mtokota.
CISP acts as a guarantor for well-organized associations which want to access loans from money-lending institutions. So far 10 groups have been linked to Opportunity International Bank of Malawi (OIBM) for loan processes, according to the IGA/VSLA expert.
Pasani Village is in the area of Traditional Authority Kapeni in Blantyre.
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