Background

Self-Help Group Approach (SHGA) was an innovative approach that was introduced in 2010 in an area called Doroba, just outside the city of Mzuzu. Self-help groups are made up of 15-20 homogeneous women who are identified through a participatory rural appraisal approach. Self-Help Group is an approach that believes that poverty is more of one’s position, not a condition from which one cannot move to become better. In this regard, there is a conviction that only human beings have a tremendous potential to sustain self and that they can help the members realise those potentials and unleash them. Furthermore, as individuals, people are vulnerable, powerless, and poor, but as homogeneous groups, they have great strength.
Located in the southern part of Africa with a population of about 22 million people, Malawi is a predominantly agricultural economy, having almost 85% of the population providing the labour force. The percentage of the labour force is higher among females (86% compared to 83% males). A recent welfare monitoring survey showed that 40% of Malawian households have a consumption expenditure below a threshold or poverty line. This means that 15% of the population lives as ultra-poor.
In this regard, female-headed households are financially worse due to large household sizes, low education levels, minimal access to non-farming employment, and issues of market proclivity. Literacy levels for the adult population are at 30% with female’ rate being higher than that of men. In addition, women have poor social, economic health indicators. Health facilities, let alone Mental Health facilities, are underdeveloped countrywide. Women are assigned multiple traditional roles and responsibilities. They have to fend for their families, yet they have low self-image. This exacerbates their vulnerability to mix prevalent problems like stress, depression, and anxiety.

Saint John of God Intervention

While Saint John of God is doing its best to maintain and develop mental health services following the Hospitaller Order’s mission and values, it was towards the end of the year 2010 it ventured into the Self-Help Group Approach to economically empower women. This initiative was piloted in Doroba, a poor area on the outskirts of Mzuzu city, before it was rolled out in the entire catchment area of Saint John of God. With the SHGA, women who were organised in different groups agreed to start saving their small amounts, and they started giving each other small loans out of the savings to start businesses. A small interest to be paid was agreed upon by the group members. They came up with rules and regulations to govern their operations, and they maintained their records with village facilitators from their communities. The only cost that was incurred by Saint John of God was a salary for the project officer and an honorarium for Community facilitators who provided capacity-building inputs to women. In its setup, the Self-Help Groups form Cluster Level Associations (CLAs), and the CLAs form a Federation.

Progress since 2010

There has been a tremendous growth of membership and income in the past fifteen years. As of October 2010, there were five SHGs formed with a total membership of 79 women having a cumulative savings of MK72,240.00. Currently, there are 585 SHGs with a total membership of 11,435 people (both men and women now), 34,514 Children (16,176 boys; 18,338 girls) with a total saving of MK112,344,600.00. furthermore, there are 19 children’s groups.
The approach has led to tremendous transformation in the lives of women who were initially apathetic but now can stand and look after their families, groom self and look like modern Malawian women. There are so many individuals’ testimonies among women related to their success with SHGA. For example, Rose Kamanga belongs to Ulemu SHG, which she joined in 2011. With time, she was able to build a big shop for her own business, manage to eat three meals per day, and manage to send her children to school. In a related development, Rose Kaunda, from Tiyanjane SHG, got her first loan and started selling cassava. She has managed to build her capital that as of now, she has a shop and has built her own residential house.

Self-Help Group Approach (SHGA) was an innovative approach that was introduced in 2010 in an area called Doroba, just outside the city of Mzuzu. Self-help groups are made up of 15-20 homogeneous women who are identified through a participatory rural appraisal approach. Self-Help Group is an approach that believes that poverty is more of one’s position, not a condition from which one cannot move to become better. In this regard, there is a conviction that only human beings have a tremendous potential to sustain self and that they can help the members realise those potentials and unleash them. Furthermore, as individuals, people are vulnerable, powerless, and poor, but as homogeneous groups, they have great strength.
Located in the southern part of Africa with a population of about 22 million people, Malawi is a predominantly agricultural economy, having almost 85% of the population providing the labour force. The percentage of the labour force is higher among females (86% compared to 83% males). A recent welfare monitoring survey showed that 40% of Malawian households have a consumption expenditure below a threshold or poverty line. This means that 15% of the population lives as ultra-poor.
In this regard, female-headed households are financially worse due to large household sizes, low education levels, minimal access to non-farming employment, and issues of market proclivity. Literacy levels for the adult population are at 30% with female’ rate being higher than that of men. In addition, women have poor social, economic health indicators. Health facilities, let alone Mental Health facilities, are underdeveloped countrywide. Women are assigned multiple traditional roles and responsibilities. They have to fend for their families, yet they have low self-image. This exacerbates their vulnerability to mix prevalent problems like stress, depression, and anxiety.

Saint John of God Intervention

While Saint John of God is doing its best to maintain and develop mental health services following the Hospitaller Order’s mission and values, it was towards the end of the year 2010 it ventured into the Self-Help Group Approach to economically empower women. This initiative was piloted in Doroba, a poor area on the outskirts of Mzuzu city, before it was rolled out in the entire catchment area of Saint John of God. With the SHGA, women who were organised in different groups agreed to start saving their small amounts, and they started giving each other small loans out of the savings to start businesses. A small interest to be paid was agreed upon by the group members. They came up with rules and regulations to govern their operations, and they maintained their records with village facilitators from their communities. The only cost that was incurred by Saint John of God was a salary for the project officer and an honorarium for Community facilitators who provided capacity-building inputs to women. In its setup, the Self-Help Groups form Cluster Level Associations (CLAs), and the CLAs form a Federation.

Progress since 2010

There has been a tremendous growth of membership and income in the past fifteen years. As of October 2010, there were five SHGs formed with a total membership of 79 women having a cumulative savings of MK72,240.00. Currently, there are 585 SHGs with a total membership of 11,435 people (both men and women now), 34,514 Children (16,176 boys; 18,338 girls) with a total saving of MK112,344,600.00. furthermore, there are 19 children’s groups.
The approach has led to tremendous transformation in the lives of women who were initially apathetic but now can stand and look after their families, groom self and look like modern Malawian women. There are so many individuals’ testimonies among women related to their success with SHGA. For example, Rose Kamanga belongs to Ulemu SHG, which she joined in 2011. With time, she was able to build a big shop for her own business, manage to eat three meals per day, and manage to send her children to school. In a related development, Rose Kaunda, from Tiyanjane SHG, got her first loan and started selling cassava. She has managed to build her capital that as of now, she has a shop and has built her own residential house.

One of the initial SHGs in Doroba in 2010

External Intervention

Looking at the success of the initiative, other organisations have supported the women to build their income. American Corner trained the leaders of the federation and some CLAs in soap making and entrepreneurship skills. The American Corner further trained members of SHGs in Shampoo and dish soap making.
Community and Savings Investment Promotion (CONSIP) renders its support to Self-help group members. CONSIP gave out a grant to one of the SHGs with 22 members, amounting to MK2, 900.000. This has helped the group to expand their businesses and improve the living conditions of their households. In addition, CONSIP took the initiative to train members of SHG in entrepreneurship skills, the making of Jam and soap to promote social, economic, and political development among SHG members.

Conclusion

This proactive initiative, which uses very few resources, will reach out to many women, some of whom are guardians and parents of the clients at Saint John of God. This economic empowerment will reduce their vulnerabilities to stress and depression and other mental health problems, thereby uplifting them to reduce discrimination and be included in the circle of love and life successes.