CDF Canada Implements Voice of Women and Girls Project in Malawi

The Cooperative Development Foundation of Canada (CDF Canada) is implementing the Voice of Women and Girls, a Volunteer Cooperation Program (VCP) in Malawi, with funding from Global Affairs Canada (GAC).

The project, known as the Global Acceleration Project, is being implemented in partnership with the Malawi Federation of Cooperatives (MAFECO), an apex body representing cooperatives in eight districts: Lilongwe, Mchinji, Ntchisi, Dowa, Dedza, Machinga, Zomba and Mulanje.

The eight-year project, running from 2020 to 2028, targets 16,040 direct beneficiaries from 34 cooperatives, comprising 27 primary cooperatives, two unions and five SACCOs. It focuses on strengthening the capacity and performance of cooperatives, with particular emphasis on women and girls.

Presenting a progress report to the Dowa District Executive Committee (DEC), CDF Canada Country Program Officer Eliana Kanyika said the project is being implemented in five countries—Malawi, Ghana, Kenya, Ethiopia and Senegal—with the aim of improving the economic wellbeing of poor, marginalized and vulnerable communities, particularly women and girls.

Kanyika said the project is also empowering local partners to better support beneficiaries through cooperatives while contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

She said the initiative has further increased Canadian engagement in international development and strengthened the capacity of country partners to implement inclusive, innovative and environmentally sustainable development initiatives that promote gender equality in line with Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy (FIAP).

In Dowa, the project is targeting three primary cooperatives—Bowe, Majiga and Mthethe—and Tipindule SACCO. Kanyika said key areas of capacity building include governance, business planning, good agricultural practices, financial management, marketing and gender equality.

Among the activities undertaken so far are effective leadership training for women leaders, governance training, environmental sustainability training, the Malawi Business Connect Symposium, awareness on gender-related laws and a male engagement strategy.

“The project is aligning with the Socio-Economic Program (SEP) and the District Development Plan (DDP) in promoting gender mainstreaming and women’s empowerment, while increasing average household income through strengthened cooperatives,” said Kanyika.

However, she said the project continues to face several challenges, including inflation, limited coordination among implementing partners, difficulties in volunteer recruitment, resistance to adopting new practices, interference by community leaders in cooperative governance and poor management of cooperative resources.

Looking ahead to the April 2026–March 2027 implementation period, Kanyika said the project will shift towards cooperative-specific support through a coaching and mentorship approach.

She said the focus will include governance, business planning and environmental sustainability, while CDF Canada will continue providing targeted support to partners and conducting collaborative monitoring with relevant government departments.

In his remarks, Dowa District Council Principal Environmental Officer Yusuf Laki urged development partners implementing various interventions in the district to regularly submit progress reports to the DEC.

Laki said timely reporting would help strengthen cooperation, transparency and accountability among stakeholders working to improve the livelihoods of communities in the district.