Seed Capital Helps Mzimba Mother Build a Thriving Family Business

Idah Mumba proudly displays the cabbages and onions she sells as part of her growing business supported by the SP-GEAR project.

For years, Idah Mumba, 50, of GVH Lameck Ndhlovu, Traditional Authority Mzikubola in Mzimba South, struggled to provide for her large family. As a beneficiary of Malawi's Social Cash Transfer Programme (SCTP), life was a constant battle to secure enough food and meet basic household needs.

Today, her story is one of resilience, entrepreneurship, and transformation.

In May 2026, Idah received MK525,000 in seed capital through the Social Protection for Gender Empowerment and Resilience (SP-GEAR) project, implemented by CRECCOM. Rather than spending the money on immediate needs, she invested it in a business selling cabbages, onions, tomatoes and fertiliser at Msegede Market along the M1 Road.

Today, the business generates daily sales of not less than MK50,000. She reinvests much of the income to expand the business, saves a portion through her Village Savings and Loan (VSL) group, and uses the remainder to meet household needs, including food, education and other essential expenses.

The business has steadily grown, providing a reliable source of income for her household.

"I never imagined I would own a business that could support such a big family," Idah says with a smile. "The seed capital gave me the confidence to start, while the savings and loans group helped me expand the business whenever I needed additional capital."

The profits from the business, combined with loans accessed through her Village Savings and Loan (VSL) group, have significantly improved her family's living conditions. She has purchased household furniture, including chairs and quality plates, and has enough maize in storage to feed her family until the next farming season.

For a household of eleven—her husband, six biological children, two adopted children and her mother—this has brought a level of food security and dignity that once seemed impossible.

Idah Mumba at her fertiliser stall at Msegede Market

One of the most significant changes, however, has been within the family itself.

Through the project's Gender Transformative Approach (GTA), Idah and her husband have learned to make joint decisions, support one another and manage the business together.

"Before, I managed everything on my own while my husband focused on other things. Through the Gender Transformative Approach sessions, we learned the importance of working as partners. Today we plan together, make business decisions together and support each other. That has made both our business and our family stronger".

The SP-GEAR project recognises that economic empowerment is most sustainable when accompanied by positive changes in household relationships, ensuring women and men work together to improve family livelihoods.

According to Alfred Chiphaka, CRECCOM Project Officer for Mzimba South, Idah's story reflects the broader impact the project is achieving across the district.

"Mumba's progress demonstrates that when vulnerable households receive the right combination of seed capital, business skills, saving opportunities, and gender-transformative support, they can move beyond dependency towards sustainable livelihoods. Our goal is not simply to support businesses but to build resilient households that are economically empowered and able to make decisions together."

CRECCOM's Social Protection for Gender Empowerment and Resilience (SP-GEAR) project is implemented across all Traditional Authorities in Zomba, Mzimba North and Mzimba South. Funded by the European Union (EU) and the Government of Ireland, with implementation support from UNICEF Malawi, the project seeks to transform vulnerable and labour-constrained Social Cash Transfer Programme beneficiary households into self-reliant entrepreneurs.

The project works with 640 Savings and Loan Groups (SLGs) and 960 Female-Led Enterprises (FLEs), providing seed capital, business development support, financial inclusion and gender-transformative training to strengthen household resilience and reduce long-term dependence on social assistance.

For Idah Mumba, the journey from surviving on cash transfers to running a growing business has restored more than her income—it has restored hope.

"Now I can look after my family with confidence," she says. "I know that with hard work and God's grace, our future will continue to improve."