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Elizabeth Nakazwe’s Story of Microfinance Success Through WEAVE Program

Elizabeth Nakazwe is a member and literacy volunteer In Sampukeni women’s group in Mpepo. She is a widow and has 4 children. Before she joined the group the children used to report for school late as she depended on brewing beer to raise school fees. After joining the group Elizabeth learnt about voluntary savings and realized she could be brewing her beer during the school term and

keep the money in the village bank as voluntary savings. At the time of writing this story Elizabeth had ZMK600,000 in voluntary savings, that’s after paying fees for term three for all her children. Apart from beer she also sells kapenta, onion, vegetables, cooking oil and fish at a local market. In picture with her 13 year old grade 7 daughter at her market stand.

Elizabeth is a proud mother and says people thought her children would never complete their education after her husband’s death. She says all her children will go up to university through her voluntary savings as long as she is health and alive. Her journey was made possible by the WEAVE program, partnering the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Nascent Solutions.