Village savings banks aid women

Chairperson for the Presidential Initiative on Maternal Health and Safe Motherhood, Senior Chief Kwataine, has said village savings banks (VSBs)are vital for promoting maternal health and safe motherhood in rural areas.

Kwataine made the remarks on Wednesday at his Madzanje Headquarter in Ntcheu during a display by Madzanje VBs.

He said community members have a role to play in ensuring that government efforts are materialised at all levels, hence the importance of VSBs.

“The availability of health facilities should also be coupled with households’ economic empowerment as there are several factors which surround maternal health and safe motherhood issues and one of the factors is poverty,” said Kwataine.

He said the establishment of VSB is a step towards addressing poverty amongst households as the initiative promotes saving culture thereby making households self-reliant as they have easy access to money when need arises.

“Children and expectant mothers need good nutrition and have professional medical attention which is available in designated health facilities which in some areas are far from each other. Therefore, village savings banks create readily available money to which families can access financial assistance for transport to such facilities,” said Kwataine.

Family Development Services executive director Lean Mkwanda advised men and women to get organised into clubs and form village savings banks for them to attract assistance from both public and private sectors.

‘Let me assure you that my organisation is proud to be associated with communities which can initiate the establishment of village savings banks and we are ready to support such efforts,” said Mkwanda.

Madzanje Village Savings Bank with a membership of 23 women was established in February 2013 with assistance from Family Development Services.