By Steve Chirombo

Dedza, August 30, Mana: Women who ply various small-scale businesses and those in Village Savings and Loans (VSLs), in Dedza district, have hailed awareness raising campaign being conducted by AC Consulting in conjunction with the Reserve Bank of Malawi and the Ministry of Finance on Digital Financial Services (DFS).

The campaign which is being done with support from the African Development Bank (ADB) seeks to educate the communities on the need to embrace digital financial transactions through banks and mobile money companies describing them as safe and secure.

One of the women, Labina Samuel a tailor from Mthandizi area under Traditional Authority (T/A) Kachere in the district stated that she embraces the initiative as it simplifies her financial transactions.

Samuel said: “When I am doing my business, I recommend mobile money transactions because it simplifies my work. Customers do send exact money as agreed and I do not have to go about looking for change hence it saves my time.”

Another woman, Linda Chinyanga, from Katsekaminga under T/A Kamenyagwaza who sells bread and other food items said DFS is fast, easy and secure.

“I know more about Airtel money and Mpamba transactions. Some of the challenges experienced are network hitches. These affect our businesses sometimes particularly when we are receiving money from customers,” she stated.

On the other hand, a VSL member, Tereza Fountain from Mkwinda Village under T/A Chilikumwendo expressed satisfaction with the messages on DFS especially on mobile banking.

She said like many other community members, she could not fully understand the technologies and that there was a need for continued efforts in disseminating messages on DFS so that many communities understand the need to embrace the initiative.

On his part, Traditional Authority Chauma applauded government for enabling the initiative to happen and reach out to the communities with the DFS messages while appealing for continued updates on the same and also accommodating the less privileged like the elderly and those with disabilities.

Speaking in a separate interview one of the facilitators under AC Consulting, Margret Luis Mbwana said they are in Dedza for a month reaching out to people in markets, VSLs and Area Development Committees (ADCs) with DFS messages.

“The government realizes that VSLs, women and all those doing small-scale businesses are the ones that contribute to the development of the country. This is why we are encouraging them to know about mobile banking, TNM Mudziwathu, Mpamba ndikankhe, Airtel Kutchova and other services.

We are imparting them with messages on how they can transfer cash in their mobile phones without traveling long distances to the banks. We all need to embrace DFS because the government uses more resources in issuing paper monies,” she said.