The Inspiring Journey of the Mutemba SILC Group: Community Resilience in Action

Located in the heart of Mungwi, just 17 kilometers from the bustling business district, lies the village of Mutemba. This resilient community, primarily reliant on agriculture, cultivates a variety of crops, including maize, groundnuts, millet, sorghum, beans, and sunflower. However, like many regions facing the harsh realities of climate change, the villagers have struggled with unpredictable weather patterns that threaten their harvests and contribute to food insecurity.

Faced with these challenges, the people of Mutemba refused to succumb to despair. Instead, they came together, united by a shared determination to improve their circumstances. Thus, the Mutemba Savings and Internal Lending Community (SILC) group was born—a beacon of hope and a model of community interaction in the district, comprising 25 members with a balance of 8 men and 17 women.

With valuable support from Electric Aid, SSHJM IDP Zambia supported the group with knowledge on vegetable and gardening, treadle and spray pumps for irrigations, organic fertilizer and introducing them to SILC (saving internal lending community)coupled with knowledge in financial literacy and entrepreneurship. This capacity building and empowerment initiatives aimed at addressing the pressing issues of food insecurity and low household incomes. And the received training in organic farming techniques, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship—knowledge that would prove transformative as the group was able to put into practice the newly acquired knowledge for their benefit.

Through collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, the SILC group learned advanced gardening techniques and decided upon a staple crop that would thrive in their environment. After thoughtful discussions, they collectively chose to grow onions, receiving essential resources such as treadle pumps for irrigation and organic fertilizers to ensure a successful harvest.

The spirit of ownership drove the group forward as they expanded their gardens, utilizing social funds from their SILC contributions. Their efforts bore fruit, and soon they were harvesting a rich bounty. Their first significant yield was so rewarding that they chose to share two 50 kg bags of onions with fellow community members during the Christmas season—a beautiful gesture of love and solidarity inspired by the teachings of Christ.

With the proceeds from their vegetable sales, totaling €171.41, the group ventured into maize farming, showcasing their self-reliance. The community-driven initiative continued to flourish, as they sold 25 bags of onions for €394.24, reinvesting the profits and fueling their growth. They bought 33 bags of organic fertilizer and maize seeds, further diversifying their agricultural endeavors.

This transformation did not just uplift their economic status; it had broader social implications as well. Community leaders observed a notable decline in crime, substance abuse, and gender-based violence within Mutemba. Inspired by the SILC group's success, other villagers began to establish their own small gardens, fostering a collective spirit of growth and resilience.

The Mutemba SILC group didn’t stop at gardening. They underwent training in savings practices, allowing members to access soft loans. This initiative empowered individuals to explore new business ventures—dry kapenta, beans, tomatoes, and chickens became additional sources of income for families. Today, the group thrives, growing vegetables for commercial sale, with proceeds reinvested into their savings scheme. This financial strategy ensures that members can access funds to support their entrepreneurial dreams.

The inspiring journey of the Mutemba SILC group serves as a testament to the power of community, resilience, and proactive change. Their story reminds us that through cooperation, innovation, and unwavering determination, meaningful progress is achievable, even in the face of adversity. Together, the people of Mutemba are not just cultivating crops; they are cultivating hope, empowerment, and a brighter future for their village.

Word from Beneficiary:  Am happy that despite my disability as a wheelchair user, HID programme(then) came to my aid by realizing that I too can be counted amongst many. The soft loans from Savings Group has really helped me in boosting my door mart making business.  Am really happy to be part of community development projects.