JB courts Karonga small scale business women: Pledges K10bn revolving fund

Former immediate president, who is also Peoples Party (PP) leader Joyce Banda says the country’s economy can only grow if women are self reliant and economically empowered through small business as they are custodians of families.

Banda: Promises revolving fun
Karonga business women listening to Joyce Banda

Banda popularly known as JB in the political scene made these remarks when she addressed thousands of women Sunday afternoon during a business forum for self help groups (SHG) whose objective was to inspire their business plans in Karonga district.

The former president said in business, perseverence, respect for families and love are the only secret to success, saying disrespectful business women do not prosper as they spend precious time quarreling with their husbands over petty issues while their friends make money.

“I am glad that Karonga has very hard working women that are engaged in various business ranging from rice, plantains, vegetables and second hand clothes. I want to assure you that you have found a real partner in Joyce Banda as women empowerment has always been my hobby since my childhood.

“My involvement with women dates back to 1989 when l established National Association Business for Women (NABW) whose membership grew to 50,000 in 1997. Since that time I have been up and down empowering women through various interventions that includes Joyce Banda Foundation (JBF) that has for produced over 6,500 girls.

“However, JB, could not finish without going political as she also assured the jam packed hall with business women that she plans to establish smart villages throughout Malawi like that which were built at Nkhamenya in Kasungu where people will be staying for free and their contributions will be bricks, sand and water towards the construction of those houses that will be powered by solar.

“People in these smart villages will be connected to solar power that they will be using even for cooking and charging their phones, they will receive cows and will also be on social cash transfer program for daily up keep and small scale business.

“Once voted into power I will also increase the minimum wage bill from the current K25,000 to at least K40,000 because life is so hard that making ends meet is a very difficult task,” JB said amid hands clapping.

“She also promised a K10-billion revolving fund that her office will set aside once she goes to State House on May 21, saying she believes that women economic empowerment is the key to socio economic and political empowerment that enables women to send children to schools and take them to hospitals when they fall sick

Speaking on behalf of SHG, President of Tughaneghe Federation under Future Planning for the children (FPC) Memory Munthali said through her inspirational  speech, her organization has learnt lessons that have fired up all members of the institution.

“We are motivated indeed. We are happy that we had you as our guest speaker. These women that you see here are dedicated and experienced business ladies.

“The only challenge is capital that would boost their business and make them realize their economic empowerment dreams,” Munthali said.

About 122 small scale business women SHG and nine cluster level associations (CLA) from across Karonga attended the business forum.

Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :

Sharing is caring!

Follow us in Twitter
18 Comments
newest
oldest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
CASHGATE
CASHGATE
5 years ago

Which women has JB empowered???, how come their lives haven’t changed?? You can not be empowered and yet your social -economic status remains the same, you have to move the needle to show achievement

domasi
domasi
5 years ago

Amanadasi???…. we need to move beyond kugulitsa manadasi if we are talking about meaningful women empowerment

ndatopa
ndatopa
5 years ago

Amenewo ndi Azimayi a business?? Malawi at 54 kikikikikikikikik,

Nambewe Sokosi
Nambewe Sokosi
5 years ago

Time up Mrs. Cashgate…….Zilelani zidzukulu basi.

Ntumbuka Mwenecho
Ntumbuka Mwenecho
5 years ago

This woman, Abhiti Kazhigheti is the one who undermined woman leadership in this country – kumwa mazira ache. Drank from State cofferds and master-minded cashgate for the benefits of herself and her family. For the first time, her son who used to sell Carlsberg in Bangwe was heard bragging that money was no longer a problem after benefiting from the theft. Let her go to hell with her nonsense, roost there, roast there and rot there. Enlightened Malawians have no time for her.

JJ Mbewe the Pathfinder
JJ Mbewe the Pathfinder
5 years ago

kkkkkkk kodi anthu a kumpoto anakhala bwanji? Kufika Chilima, ali komweko, Kufike Chimulirenji, ali komweko ankhaninkhani. Kufike Chakwera alinso komweko. Kufike Atupele ali komweko, Kufike Mayiwanso ali komweko. Kufike Namatetule Mutharika kuthamangilanso komweko. Kodi ndi dyera, kusowa chochita kapena kusowaokutsogolerani? Osakhala ngati kwathu ku Mulanje tinawapatsa phunziro Chalwera ndi Chilima, nkuwauza kuti kuchipinda kwa DAD sikolowa ana osavinidwa osapola pa nchombo alukhu.

Yasser Arafat Hamdani
Yasser Arafat Hamdani
5 years ago

Amenewa timawati atumbuka. Ndipo ndi anthu adhyera….We spell this in capital letters.

Mandasi
Mandasi
5 years ago

Koma analowabe

Mmalawi
Mmalawi
5 years ago

Kumeneko ndiye kusiyana kwa ubilutu ndi maphunziro.. anthu a ku mpoto amafuna kumva mfundo za aliyense kuti a vote moyenela. . Ok?

Chilungamo
Chilungamo
5 years ago

Stop being primitive but rather start encouraging your uncivilized henchmen/ cronies to be attending all rallies including those of the opposition. That’s the only way they can be civic-educated so that they start making informed decisions/ choices.. Don’t take them as ANIMALS.
Otherwise abale anu mumawatenga ngati ziweto, ma beast of burdens, to use them for voting purposes only.
Shame on tribal exploiters. Shame on you!

Chimulilenji 2
5 years ago

We want to hear first before we vote baba we dont vote on reginal line like you do with your ignorance

CitizenX
CitizenX
5 years ago

JB please stop making unrealistic promises to the rural masses especially rural women, its obvious you are taking these women for idiots and you think you can fool them into voting for you. and please stop wasting your time and money because you can never win and you will never ever rule malawi. all you doing is dividing opposition votes, if you love this country malawi, just stop what you are doing and render you support for UTM. please swallow your pride right now and do the wise thing as chihana has done. THIS IS TIME TO UNIT AS OPPOSITION… Read more »

Mandasi
Mandasi
5 years ago
Reply to  CitizenX

She is too self centered to do that

Achiswe
5 years ago

JB’s aspirations for the country and for women in particular are very commendable. But where is the money for all these promises going to come from? Increasing the basic wage by so much would very likely mean employers reducing their manpower. Throwing cash at a problem doesn’t necessarily solve it. To me JB is too much of an idealist rather than a realist, and that does not make for a good politician.

Mwana wa Ng'ana
Mwana wa Ng'ana
5 years ago

Huu , anthu akukanya asowadi songoleli ,aliyese atafike ndiyemweyo

chimanga
5 years ago

Ten billion? mmm

Serious?
Serious?
5 years ago
Reply to  chimanga

wakuba uyu. Asamdziwa ndani abiti cashgate?

Chilungamo
Chilungamo
5 years ago
Reply to  Serious?

Ngati nzake anatenga K145 million. Kulephera kuphanga account for K570 billion audit query, mpaka 5 years kutha wooo!!! Akulukabe nthano, opanda ansara yeniyeni, kkkk

Read previous post:
Malawi army, police default bills owned to water boards: MDAs contributing to utility bodies’ woes

The water providers in the country are owed in excess of K20 billion in unpaid bills by Malawi Defence Force...

Close