Dear Friend,

I just returned from visiting our program partners in Malawi and am excited to share some updates as Five Talents marks one year of programming in the country. 

One purpose of my trip was a workshop with the local Steering Committee, which provides guidance for the program. Last year, these leaders worked with us to design a program that is responsive to local realities. In Malawi, where most participants are subsistence farmers, the program brings together four kinds of training: adult literacy, savings, business skills, and conservation agriculture.

It was a delight to watch the facilitators, who have attended training workshops over the past year, return to lead groups in their communities. They are passing on what they have learned with confidence and care. One facilitator, Ruth, shared: "My dream is to serve my community."

A highlight for me was meeting people from various Savings Groups, seeing all they've accomplished, and hearing their reflections.

Again and again, members told us the business training made such a difference. Edina had a tomato business that kept losing money, but after completing the training, the same business now makes a profit. She shared: "I am now able to stand strong and make profit. I will never leave this group."

Agnes used the training to rethink her business entirely, moving from baking snacks to selling charcoal, which families buy every day for cooking. 

Eliza learned to display her produce so it draws customers, and her neat piles of tomatoes, onions, maize, and grains proved the point. She shared: “This group enables us to be self-reliant. I have paid school fees and I can provide for my family, and I’m also able to give tithe in church.” 

And Fanice sat down with her husband to plan how they could use a loan and his skills to start a carpentry business. Now they borrow for supplies when an order comes in and repay as soon as the furniture is delivered. She shared: “Doing this business together has also made me closer to my husband as we work on this together. We have gained a good reputation and the business will flourish.”

Savings Groups have made amazing progress with conservation agriculture training. They have set up demonstration plots on church property for learning, and each member takes the knowledge home to replicate on their farm. One Savings Group is ensuring that every household in their church has an opportunity to learn, saying:

“We don’t want to keep this knowledge among just ourselves in the group because hunger is the main issue in our communities - everyone in our church is affected by hunger. That is why we are coming to church to show how this is done.” 

They’re making their own compost from their local resources, to use in place of chemical fertilizer that many families cannot afford. One Savings Group is already selling sacks of compost as a group business in their remote arid village. They’ve also learned planting techniques to yield a larger harvest from a small plot of land. A few people from the groups shared:

“Through this training, I have seen a huge improvement in our lives.  We are using locally available resources that we used to throw away to make compost and have big savings.”

“The new method eases the need for irrigation and buying expensive fertilizer. Now with the compost fertilizer, the plants can grow to be strong. With this new technology, we pray for good weather so that we can have a good harvest.” 

“Our families will soon eat three times a day." 

I hope you are as encouraged as I am by the amazing work happening in Upper Shire, Malawi, and by the way the church is serving its communities.

Thank you for your prayers, support, and partnership in this ministry.

Blessings,