2011 - Malawi- Dalitso Mbewe

June 2011
Dear Supporter,

My name is Dalitso Mbewe and I am happy to tell you how your support of ActionAid and The Next Step in Malawi has changed my life.

I am 31 years old and I live with my five children in the Mbwetu area of Lilongwe [Capital city of Malawi]. My husband left for South Africa in 2008 in search of greener pastures and I have not heard from him since.

When my husband was around, I depended on him to provide for our family. We never struggled to earn a living, but when he left the realities of life hit me. He left me just 500 Kwacha [£2]. I used this money to start selling doughnuts to try and earn a living. But business was not good. I tried selling groundnuts then later on resorted to selling pork fat. But to no avail. My children had to stop going to school because I could not afford to feed them in the morning or buy their books and uniforms.

I did not know what else to do. I had no qualifications to get a job and no collateral to get a bank loan to start a proper business.
But then I heard about a government initiative to promote adult education. I went to a literacy class, and this is where I met staff from the Lilongwe Urban Women's Forum, a partner of ActionAid.
Meeting them transformed my life. They gave me a loan of 7,000 Kwacha [£30] to start my own business. I decided to make and sell decorated clocks, which are popular here in Malawi. I use maize and bean seeds to decorate the clocks.

I make and sell about five to seven clocks a week and make a profit of about 5,500 Kwacha [£23] a week. I no longer struggle to look after my family. I can now send my children to school again and we all eat three meals a day.

I really appreciate the support that ActionAid is giving poor women like me. Plans are underway to train more women,
including myself, in other craft skills like candle and vase making, so that we can produce high quality products that can be sold for a good price. ActionAid is also supporting the construction of a craft centre to give women somewhere to sell their products.

The support from ActionAid and Lilongwe Urban Women's Forum has changed my life. I can now face the future with confidence.
Thank you!

Best wishes
Dalitso Mbwe

P.S. Enclosed is a photo of me holding one of my decorated clocks. I hope you like it.