The group received a boost of K3. 6 million from United Purpose under Social Support for Resilience (SoSuRe) Program.

The group’s lead farmer Martin Nyalugwe says currently they have grown beans at a two-hectare land and garlic on a one-hectare land and next year they want to double the hectares.

“We expect to harvest 7500 kilograms of garlic 4000 kilograms of beans and we expect to realize fifteen million kwacha from garlic and six million kwacha from beans and we have already secured the market for both crops,” said Nyalugwe.

He said by 2025 they expect to buy a three ton vehicle that will be helping them to transport their produce to the market.

Agness Makoka who is a beneficiary of Social Cash Transfer Program (SCTP) is a member of Kambenje seed multiplication group.

She said since 2018 when she joined the group, she has been harvesting enough yields every year.

“I receive eleven thousand kwacha a month from SCTP and I saw the need to invest the money into irrigation farming and I have now started realizing the fruit from this investment,” said Makoka.

SoSuRe Project Manager Rose Harawa said the program’s main objective is to build resilience of the SCTP beneficiaries through different activities.

“We are supporting these SCTP groups with Village Savings and Loans, women empowerment, livestock production (goats on pass on program) and small scale irrigation farming,” said Harawa.

Deputy Minister of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare Agnes Nkusa Nkhoma was impressed when she visited the group on Saturday.

“We acknowledge that the money disbursed under SCTP is very little, but the beneficiaries have to invest this little money in income generation activities like small scale irrigation farming, livestock production and other businesses,” said Nkusa Nkhoma.

She said plans are underway to hold discussions with their partners to adjust the number of beneficiaries of SCTP and the cash transfers.

United Purpose is implementing SoSuRe Program targeting all SCTP beneficiaries in Mulanje with support from the European Union.