Community Savings and Investment Promotion (COMSIP) groups under the Social Support for Resilient Livelihoods Project (SSRLP) are renewing their plea for government intervention--this time, calling for urgent support to secure product certification that could open doors to broader markets and unlock their full economic potential.
The COMSIP groups, which operate under COMSIP Cooperative Union Limited, are composed of grassroots entrepreneurs engaged in self-financing businesses, savings, and investments. Their efforts are part of government-backed social protection programs supported by the World Bank and the Social Protection Multi-Donor Trust Fund.
Speaking during a visit by a high-level World Bank delegation to Mtandire, Lilongwe, on Wednesday, Maggie Chiwanga of the Wala group emphasized that certification from the Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS) is the missing link between their hard work and real economic empowerment.
"Our products--honey, milk, peanut butter, cooking oil, soap--are of high quality, but without MBS certification, we're confined to local sales. We can't access bigger markets or retail chains. We want to grow, we want to do more--but we're stuck," Chiwanga said.
She stressed that COMSIP groups are not just small-time ventures but potential micro-industrial hubs that can help drive Malawi's economy if given the tools to scale up.
Deputy Minister of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare, Halima Daudi, acknowledged the urgency of the issue, praising COMSIP groups as models of resilience, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
"These groups represent more than just survival--they symbolize transformation. Their products deserve shelf space in major stores and even outside Malawi. Government is committed to supporting them with MBS certification," Daudi said.
SSRLP Coordinator Paul Chipeta highlighted that the project has already reached over 3.1 million beneficiaries, creating pathways to self-employment, youth empowerment, and community resilience.
Meanwhile, World Bank's Regional Director for People, Daniel Dulitzky, applauded the project's success, noting that what started as a social protection initiative is now fostering self-reliant entrepreneurship across Malawi.
"This is the kind of transformation we love to see--where aid becomes enterprise, and vulnerability turns into opportunity," Dulitzky said.
