Join My Village is changing lives in the villages we work with in so many ways, and sometimes in ways that even surprise us. Tisungane Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) is one example of some exciting changes in JMV communities that we didn’t plan for. Tisungane is an unusual VSLA because it is comprised of 25 men, when most VSLAs are exclusively women, and it represents some fundamental shifts in attitudes amongst men in the communities and improved relationships between women and men.  
    
In Kasungu rural, changing the mind set of the people is a hard nut to crack. The communities usually believe that women have little or nothing to offer and contribute to the economic status of their families and thus making men as the only bread winners in the households. However, the achievements by so many women VSLAs in Linyangwa village prompted the men in the village to form a VSLA as well. “Everybody in the community wants to be in a VSLA group, our women have changed our thinking and they have proved that given a chance they can change things for the better more than what we have seen”, explained Mr. Boston Banda, a member of Tisungane VSLA. When JMV first started 2 years ago most men had no intention of forming VSLA groups because they thought it was something only for women. However as the women kept coming home and telling their husbands of their successes, and the men saw how successful these entrepreneurial women had become with the men had no choice but follow suit and form their own VSLA group.

One might think that some male groups could just emerge out of greed and fear that women will be economically more powerful than their husband. However this doesn’t seem to be the case. Rather,  as women and men become more and more equal in  terms of supporting their children and families financially it is bringing more respect within households and changing families for the better.

“We have learnt a lot with the way our women have changed the economic status in our families and thought it is important we join them in this noble work” says village headman Sam Kazota on the day Tisungane Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) was sharing out.

Tisungane VSLA shared money totaling to 1,300,000 Malawian Kwacha (US$ 7,878) and of course it was pleasing to see that the highest member taking home a total of MK72, 000.00 (equivalent to US$ 430).

Felix Banda is an example of how women in his community have changed his life for the better, by being shining examples in their community and inspiring the men. Felix used to own a grocery shop, but due to economic hardships in the family faced difficult times and wasn’t able to support his family financially.  It was his wife Patricia who stepped to the plate and saved their family, supporting him by joining a VSLA. Felix told me he never had thought about his wife being able to support the family, but now he has seen how successful she can be and he is inspired by her. Now Felix and Patricia are working towards re-opening the grocery shop and running it together.  It is promising to be a hot new year where men start appreciating the innovations made by women and start working together!