My advice to aspiring entrepreneurs: Never stop learning and remember that challenges are all part of the game!

6 minute read

Khumbo: What does a typical working day look like for you?

Elizabeth: Being a school teacher, my day starts very early! When I wake up in the morning, I do my morning devotion, I exercise, take a bath, eat breakfast, take a final look at my teaching plan for the day and rush to school. 

At school, I mobilize the learners to tidy and set up for the school assembly. After assembly, we get to class – the core business for the day! After classes, it’s recreation and interaction time with my learners. Then I go home, write my teaching plan for the following day, check on my business, study, cook dinner, study again, and relax!

Khumbo: You sound very busy! How do you fit business responsibilities around teaching and your university studies?

Elizabeth: Planning is key here — although it’s very challenging. All three of these pursuits are important, but l spend most of my time at work and then ensure my free hours are divided between my business and studying. I’m working towards a Bachelors of Education from the Catholic University in Malawi.

Khumbo: How did you hear about business training opportunities from CAMFED?

Elizabeth: Since joining the CAMFED Association after graduating from school in 2014, l have attended at least six business training opportunities for young women. From the training I’ve learned skills in communications, leadership, decision making, time management, and business intelligence. 

Khumbo: Why did you decide to go into peanut butter and coated peanut production?

Elizabeth: I almost dropped out of school due to lack of school fees, so when I graduated with support from CAMFED, I knew I wanted to be financially independent and help other girls who might be in the same position. 

I scoped out opportunities in my local area and noticed that many people grow groundnuts (peanuts), which are then purchased by a middle-men to export outside the country. I wanted to help local farmers benefit more directly from the profits of their groundnuts, by starting up my own processing facility, adding value to the raw nuts, and then selling the products here in Malawi. 

Now, I have a small piece of land where l grow groundnuts and l also purchase nuts from local farmers to manufacture into products like peanut butter and coated peanuts. 

Khumbo: What are your best selling products?

Elizabeth: All my products are popular, but the honey coated peanuts in particular are a best seller. They can be eaten as snacks anywhere and are very yummy! I’ve had some really great feedback from my customers, which I find very encouraging. 

Khumbo: You’ve recently been able to purchase a new processing machine. How will this benefit your business?

Elizabeth: My new automated processing machine will help me produce higher quantities of quality peanut butter, in less time and with less physical effort. Originally I rented a less sophisticated processor, but through CAMFED, I accessed an interest free loan from Kiva which provided me with the funds to purchase the machine. It has been a great boost to my business. 

Khumbo: Why is it important for women to be able to access loans and business capital?

Elizabeth: When women have only their personal savings to rely on, they lack confidence in business. Improving access to loans opens the door for business growth and means women are able to scale their businesses up and create prosperity. 

Khumbo: What are some recent challenges you’ve faced at your business, and how have you overcome them?

Elizabeth: Recent economic difficulties, such as the devaluation of Malawi’s currency — the Kwacha — has affected our production costs and left me with little alternative but to raise prices for customers, a difficult decision for any business person. Inflation has reduced customer purchasing power, with some prioritizing other basic staple foods like mealie meal (cornmeal) instead of peanut products. 

Another challenge I’ve faced is difficulty accessing more capital to speed up production. The business would benefit from more equipment such as a roasting and packaging machine, as currently we do this work by hand. 

Khumbo: How have your CAMFED Association sisters supported you on your entrepreneurship journey?

Elizabeth: My CAMFED Association sisters are my eyes — they always give me honest feedback about my business which is very helpful. They give me advice to inform my business direction, suggest new ideas and innovations, share opportunities, and they are also my customers! These include my sisters beyond Malawi — from across our pan-African network — who I have met through online events. 

Khumbo: How do you support them in return?

Elizabeth: To support my CAMFED Association sisters, I established an online platform called ‘Women Business Clinic’ where l run free business sessions and mentorship for over 60 young women. I also run face-to-face sessions with women in my local area. 

Khumbo: What are your business aims for the future?

Elizabeth: In the near future, I would like to increase production by investing in automated equipment, packaging machinery, and better facilities. This would allow me to increase my sales and profits, and invest more back into the business.

In the long term, I would like to diversify into cooking oil manufacturing because this is a staple product with a ready market. With both of these plans, I aim to employ more young women from my community and help them to support themselves and their families. 

Khumbo: How have perceptions of you changed in the community since you started your business?

Elizabeth: Since I started my business, I’ve become confident to make decisions — particularly financial ones —  on my own, which is unusual in my rural community. I have seen the community’s mind-set towards women and girls completely change. People are amazed and say “A woman can do great things even before getting married and without her parents!”  Both men and women come to me for business ideas and advice, I am a motivator and am a role model for many. 

With profits from my business I am able to support not just myself, but also my siblings with all their school-going necessities. I also provide material support to marginalized children in the school where I teach and in my wider community. 

Khumbo: What is your advice to other young aspiring entrepreneurs?

Elizabeth: My advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is to never stop learning, and to remember that challenges are all part of the game. Experiencing challenges helps open new opportunities for business growth and learning. 

In terms of changing the mind-sets of others, it’s important to exercise patience during the process. Change comes with consistency.

Elizabeth: At the school where I teach, l talk to the students about how my business works and have shown them the whole production process from start to finish. I hope I am able to inspire them to venture into entrepreneurship!

Khumbo: How do you like to recharge at the end of a busy day/week?

Elizabeth: At the end of a very busy week, I like to read novels, listen to music, watch videos, and play sports. I enjoy netball and table tennis!