Men sidelined in Comsip in Mzimba

A Kalondolondo Programme assessment has revealed that men in the northern Malawi district of Mzimba are being sidelined in Community Savings and Investment Promotion (Comsip) services.

The assessment done by Youth-Watch Society on behalf of the Kalondolondo Programme showed that women were not comfortable working with men in village community savings.

Youth Watch Society programme officer Bon Benjala said on Friday, some men were sidelined because women were concerned about security of their money. He said it was difficult for women to trust men in some groups because some men had disappeared with group savings.

Benjala also said some women were reluctant to work with men because they were concerned about safeguarding their marriages.

“Women were afraid that their husbands would be going out with other women in the groups,” he said.

However, the assessment also showed that some men deliberately shunned the Comsip groups.

“Some men failed to join the saving groups because they were busy with their jobs while others perceived Comsip as a feminine programme,” said Benjala.

Kalondolondo project manager Jephter Mwanza hailed Comsip for its self-sustenance strategy, urging government to prioritise it if local communities are to develop.

Kalondolondo Programme is a consortium of Plan Malawi, ActionAid and the Council for non-governmental organisations (Congoma), which tracks down implementation of government’s projects.