Akhada Baskets: Weaving a better future for Malawi’s artisans
In the sweltering heart of Salima, where tradition meets modernity, Tisungane Thomson, the managing director of Akhada Baskets, has embarked on a journey to transform the lives of local artisans.
What began as a simple encounter with a struggling weaver in Salima has blossomed into a thriving enterprise that not only preserves cultural heritage, but also empowers communities.
Akhada Baskets was born in 2018 out of a desire to provide sustainable livelihoods for local weavers. But that desire came about by a chance encounter with a weaver.
“I was working and living in Salima when one day I met a local weaver who was trying to sell me his products. He complained about how they had to move around the town only to sell a single basket at the end of the day,” Thomson explains.
Something struck her and she thought there had to be a better way for these talented artisans to sell their products consistently and support their families.
Inspired by this encounter, Tisungane asked the weaver to create a sample based on her ideas. The result was the first Akhada basket, a symbol of hope and new beginnings.
“Akhada means ‘clan’ in the Khokhola dialect of the Lhomwe language. It reflects our mission to unite artisans into a supportive community, weaving not just baskets but a shared future,” Thomson explains.
What started with one weaver quickly expanded. By the end of 2018, Akhada Baskets had grown to nine weavers, driven by increasing demand. Today, the firm is home to over 70 artisans, including some who operate in Blantyre, demonstrating the broad impact of its initiative.
The baskets are crafted from palm leaves, materials sourced locally to further empower the community. Thomson’s long-term vision is to grow the palm trees themselves in order to create a sustainable supply chain and provide more opportunities for local farmers.
Akhada Baskets’ significant progress can be attributed to its participation in the Growth Accelerator (GA) Malawi initiative.
Funded by the German Development Bank (KfW) and the Royal Norwegian Embassy through the UNDP Malawi, the GA is a 12-month business acceleration programme that supports early stage innovative and impactful entrepreneurs with investment, technical assistance and mentorship.
The GA aims to provide a competitively selected cohort of ambitious and innovative entrepreneurs with access to technical assistance, mentorship and business co-financing to enable growth and scaling of their businesses. The accelerator sets out to identify innovative early-stage entrepreneurs that are seeking hands-on technical skills, mentorship and capital to scale-up their ventures.
Akhada Baskets was granted US$40,000 through the GA to enhance its business operations and also received technical assistance in order to strengthen the company’s capabilities.
Transporting products was a challenge for Akhada Baskets. Initially, it relied on hiring open trucks, which exposed their products to the elements. The acquisition of a van through the GA has secured their logistics, ensuring the safe and timely delivery of baskets.
“The technical support we’ve received has been invaluable. Before the GA, I struggled with record keeping and budgeting. With the guidance of our coach from Uganda, we’ve learned essential business skills that have driven us forwards,” Thomson says.
Key lessons the venture has learnt under the GA include customer and market segmentation, enabling Akhada Baskets to prioritise and effectively serve different customer groups.
“Understanding who our customers are and what they need has been transformative. It helped us avoid the pitfalls of trying to please everyone and losing some clients in the process,” Thomson reflects.
Financial management was another critical area of improvement. The GA’s requirement for Akhada to step up their sales efforts instead of relying on loans pushed the company to enhance its marketing strategies.
“We had a target to meet, and we achieved it through relentless advertising and sales efforts. This drive wouldn’t have been possible without the Growth Accelerator,” Thomson notes proudly.
Looking ahead, Akhada Baskets aims to expand its reach beyond Malawi. “We want to flood Africa with our baskets,” Thomson declares.
The company, through the GA grant, also plans to build a dedicated structure where artisans can work in optimal conditions, further enhancing productivity and product quality.
By turning local talent into a sustainable business, Tisungane Thomson and his team are weaving more than just baskets — they are weaving a future of opportunity and prosperity for their community. With continued growth and the support of the Growth Accelerator, Akhada Baskets is poised to make an even greater impact, both locally and across the continent.
The Royal Norwegian Ambassador to Malawi, Ingrid Marie Mikelsen, has challenged young entrepreneurs in the country to seize the opportunity unveiled with the launch of the Growth Accelerator Cohorts 7 and 8 targeting growth oriented post-revenue ventures.
For your businesses to survive, adhere to Malawi labour laws; ensure that your staff are remunerated according to labour law on minimum wage. This was Etta Mmangisa, the UNDP S
engage with each other.
elieve that you are the ones who hold the key for Malawi because countries develop through entrepreneurship.”
sion has been engaging, a lot of learning and unlearning of my behaviour and attitude as an entrepreneur,” said Rachel Kumwenda, founder of Drone Link.
Three banks – National Bank, NBS Bank and Standard Bank – working with the Growth Accelerator, have advised SMEs in the country to invest enough efforts to understand their businesses better if they are to access various loans from the banking sector.
A) Cohort 6 business venture owners had a rare opportunity during their first ecosystem event on 21st July 2023, where standards experts tipped them on critical aspects essential to their business growth.
