The UNDP and GIZ held the first-ever joint business linkages event where beneficiaries of their different private sector development project initiatives networked and pitched their enterprises and services.

At least four ventures currently implementing projects under the Growth Accelerator (GA), attended the event which Ottaniel Chezani, Deputy Director of SMEs, Ministry of Trade said was a rare engagement.

“I urge entrepreneurs here to take advantage of the event to build networks,” he said adding “that’s how you build resilience.”

 

In separate interviews, the GA ventures – E&G Investments, MCM Investments, Funani Organic Fertilizer and Kambewu Organic Fertilizer – expressed their satisfaction.

Said Evelyn Chibambo of E&G: “I met an entrepreneur who is exporting her products to Zambia and we have agreed to collaborate. I have learnt a lot from her and looking forward to having my products exported to Zambia.”

“We have been able to make a deal with Zaulimi App for them to advertise our Kambewu organic Fertilizer at a fair cost for one year. With this, we’ll be able to reach more customers and increase our sales,” chipped in Kambewu Managing Director, Roselyn Kanyinji.

Kambewu also interacted with SMEDI “to help us in the certification of our products at a 50% discount which will take our product to another level.”

 

While, Funani said “networking with Magomelo college and financial provider NBS bank” was a milestone, MCM’s Sphiwe Mauwa enjoyed networking with successful colleagues.

“I had an interaction with Director for Estrell peanut butter and Tanthwe farms, who inspired me in terms of how to grow in business through marketing and production eg. having traders who buy and sell in offices on credit,” she said.

The business linkages event was a platform set to build and strengthen UNDP and GIZ implementing partner relationships towards sustainable business growth, through knowledge exchange and linkages.

According to Alexandra Farrington-Schomburg, GIZ-GIAE Team Leader, the event provided room for businesses to proactively engage with each other.

“We’re facilitators. We need you to do the move. It’s in your hands. SMEs often walk alone and when they hit a wall, it ends there. Use this event to network,” she said in her opening remarks.

According to Rabi Gaudo, UNDP RSG Portfolio Manager, the business linkages event “served as an invaluable platform to network, learn, and forge business relationships capable of reshaping the business ecosystem.”

He emphasised that “in the business realm, learning from others proves more economical than learning from one’s own mistakes.”

Among other, the event brought together Agri-processors, input and equipment suppliers, Financial Institutions such as bankers and training institutions.

Apart from the GA, over the past decade, UNDP has introduced a variety of facilities and instruments designed to catalyze private sector development in Malawi including the Green Economic Transitioning Facility (GETF), Malawi Innovation Challenge Fund (MICF) and Zantchito Entrepreneurship and Access to Finance Program.