Women gear up to change their families’ economic status

By Blessings Kaunda….

Women from Chifila, under Group Village Headman Chagowo in Traditional Authority Malenga Mzoma, are determined to uplift their families’ economic statuses through selling fish across cities and beyond.

In an interview on Wednesday at Danass Chirwa Maddison Lodge, Umoza Fisheries Group, chairlady Ruth Gumbwa emphasized the need for a positive change among women.

She said women could be source of solutions to their families because they are the ones who spend a lot of time with families.

“It is high time we end our economic struggle while we have a lake before us. We have the capacity to do well through the group,” Gumbwa said.

She highlighted that many women depend solely on their husbands for income, which often leads to hardship.

“It is long overdue; we have suffered in silence while our men neglect their families. The money they earn is often misused, Children have stopped going to school because of lack of support. That’s why we formed this group to support one another,” she explained.

Gumbwa added that their goal is to bring a new spirit of self-reliance among women in their community.

“Women are the ones who stay with children in homes. If we are financially stable, we can uplift their families and address their problems,” she stated.

She then urged women to take a leading role in their homes and to stop undermining themselves.

Danass Chirwa, a UK-based Malawian and founder of the grouping, conquered the importance of women being self-reliant in the community, which may also make men start respecting their families.

“Women are close to their families unlike men and have the power to make changes because they know real problems affecting their homes hence the need to formulate such groupings.

“Foreigners come here to buy fish and enrich their countries while our homes remain poor. I recognized this gap and wanted to bring these women together to start drying fish for export.” Chirwa said.

She also mentioned their collaboration with the Department of Fisheries, local leaders, Area Development Committees (ADC) and the Personal Assistant to the Minister of Homeland Security, Ken Zikhale Ng’oma, to support these women.

“We had meetings with these experts to learn how best we can succeed,” she added.

The Senior Fisheries Technical Assistant at Kande Stratum in Nkhata Bay, Chaona Mwale commented the initiative saying this is the only way communities can wear new face if they want to change.

“Our role is to teach groups like Umoza Fisheries about fish preservation. If more people are financially stable, we can reduce fish depletion in our lake and improve economic standard,” Mwale said.

He also encouraged community members to establish fishponds instead of relying solely on the lake.

“When more women engage in businesses, families will become stable, reducing issues of gender-based violence caused by high unemployment,” he noted.