Meet the Manyamula COMSIP Team!

The Manyamula Community Savings and Investment Promotion Cooperative in rural Malawi is a vibrant force for local development. They provide low-interest loans, farming advice and assistance, and a maize mill for grinding the staple food, as well as a gathering place for community members. So who is it that keeps this organization running smoothly? Spirit in Action is proud to support the salaries for this amazing management team! (Read more about why we fund operations .) Winkly Mahowe – Programs Officer Manages all projects Visits and monitors maize mills; collects income and reviews records Meeting hall rentals, manages 10 student tenants, and cleanliness of rooms and grounds Rented, tilled and planted sunflowers on cooperative’s 5-hectare crop farm Oversaw construction of oil press house, buying machine and equipment Mobilization of local zone groups: making sure they meet weekly and are maintaining their pigs, goat, and nutrition projects Panorama view of the COMSIP Cooperative training centre Baxter Chirwa – Loans Officer Helps people fill out loan applications Ensures loans are repaid Keeps a loan book. (There are 30 loans out at any given time. This open book adds transparency, allowing everyone to see the application form, loan amount, repayment period, and interest charged.) Trains loan applicants and helps them adjust their business plans as necessary Manages money flow between borrows and bookkeeper Submits monthly reports on how much was disbursed, how much is still out, how much was received, etc. Canaan Gondwe – Coordinator Canaan with the cooperative’s peanut oil press Oversees all cooperative operations Approves (with two others) all funds going in and out of the account; supervises all bookkeeping Meets with auditors Monitors staff daily Writes grant proposals and grant reports Coordinates between management and Board of Directors Maintains stakeholder relationships (i.e. with national COMSIP organization) Keeps an eye on implementing the implementation plan Michael Nyirenda – Bookkeeper Manages everything financial Keeps records with payment book, cash book, vouchers, and receipts Manages all accounts, including grant accounts Submits monthly reports, including challenges and suggestions for changes Mercy Zimba – Receptionist Opens the office daily Receives visitors, cooperative members, and clients Directs questions to the relevant management team member Helps the other team members as needed Manyamula COMSIP Cooperative team with Kathleen King (SIA Board Member) and me (Tanya) in July, 2019. #Adminsupport #COMSIP #Community #LocalOrganizations #Malawi