This is what we do
Our mission is to empower individuals and families through comprehensive services, and positive community impact.
Business Development
Creating sustainable livelihoods
Orant’s Business Development program empowers small business entrepreneurs to invest in new growth opportunities and provide better lives for their families by equipping them with the knowledge and financial support needed to thrive.
Total loan amount disbursed to businesses in 2024
Number of people trained on in Financial Literacy
Building Businesses in Malawi
What started as a simple microloan program for women has grown now into a fully-fledged entrepreneurial education program! Including lessons for participants on business creation and entrepreneurship, micro and small business loans, Village Savings and Loan groups and continuing education for long-term participants.
Our Village Savings and Loan groups provide a necessary opportunity for women in our area to save and invest their growing income while providing each other with the stability of having many other investors participating. We continue to expand the Village Savings and Loan model in Malawi by collaborating with other Orant programs, local stakeholders and other NGOs. It is truly a group effort and a group success!
Microloan Programs
FEM for Women
The Financial Empowering Microloans (FEM) for Women program began in 2017 with the goal of supporting women in our community who were stuck in a cycle of poverty. The process is rather simple, but very impactful. Local women apply for a no interest loan that will be paid back in equal installments over the next four months. The money helps them buy more supplies to trade or otherwise invest in their small business. Then, they use the profits to improve their lives by doing things like funding their children’s education or building a floor for their house.
Learn more about some of FEM’s star business women below!
Business Education
The “Village MBA”
The Orant Umodzi Village Business Manual is a booklet written, printed, and distributed in Chichewa to the business owners and entrepreneurs in our community to help them develop their business knowledge and skills. It teaches techniques of business ownership starting from the most basic lessons like "What are goods and services?" Further chapters of the Manual are currently in development and will continue to be published over time.
If you would like a digital copy of the most recent edition of the Umodzi Village Business Manual, send us an email at [email protected].
Business Growth and Sustainable Investments in Malawi
As recognized in MW2063 and independently by Orant, one of Malawi’s main challenges is lack of capital. There is a shortage of capital in all industries. Capital is hard to access, projects are difficult to finance, and there is a significant gap between large scale investments and small and medium businesses that require financing to grow.
Orant plans to expand financing and investment in Malawi, specifically in Dowa and most immediately in our area. We will make investments in small and medium-sized businesses. Small loans will continue through the FEM Program and VSLs that the Business Development Program empowers in the community. Medium-sized loans will be disbursed through the Business Development Program guided by our investment strategy.
These investments will be made with the goal of a return on investment for Orant Charities Africa, so that it can be reinvested into programming and to increase the size of the investment fund controlled by Orant Charities Africa. This will also be a form of impact investing, where the returns are certainly important, but only as long as the investment made is also making a positive impact in the community, and not negatively impacting the environment.
Learn more about FEM’s star business women below!
Read recent news and empowering stories from our Business Development iniatives on the Orant Journal!
Inside Our Business Development Program
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Introducing the Umodzi Village Business Manual
It's been a while since we last shared an update on our Mobile Outreach clinic, but rest assured that our team has been working tirelessly to deliver healthcare services to hard-to-reach populations. Despite the challenges posed by the rainy season,…
Unlocking Digital Financial Literacy in Rural Malawi
In today's fast-paced world, digital financial literacy is more important than ever. It is essential for saving time and resources, as most financial transactions have gone digital. This week, our Business Development program launched a digital financial literacy campaign, building…
Empowering Women Through Village Savings and Loans
These beaming smiles belong to our Tikondane Village Savings and Loan (VSL) group members, who have just harvested the fruits of their labor after a year of hard work and diligent saving. Through our VSL program, these incredible individuals have…
Empowering Women, Transforming Lives
We are so happy about the strides our Business Development Program is making. In today’s post, we share the story of Judith Kachala, a Financially Empowering Microloans (FEM) for Women program cohort 3 member. Judith’s story is a testament to…
Evolution of Orant’s FEM Program
At Orant, we are committed to supporting local entrepreneurs, especially women. This is what spurred us to start our Financial Empowering Microloans (FEM) program in 2017. However, we came to realize that our program participants needed more comprehensive support to…
Women’s History Month with FEM for Women
Every year, March is designated Women’s History Month. In this month, we honour and celebrate women’s contributions to history and contemporary society. In today's blog, we talk with women from our FEM program, and they highlight the roles they play…
Celebrating 5 Years of FEM for Women
Learn how to make this favorite Malawian dish, Mpiru Otendera. One of Malawi’s most popular recipes, Mpiru Otendera (mustard greens with peanut flour) is a nutritious and filling recipe that goes well with many meals.
Transforming the Lives of Women in Rural Malawi
In rural Malawi, pregnant women face many challenges including lack of access to prenatal care, poor nutrition, and lack of safe spaces to deliver their babies. Orant is working to change that with the renovation of our maternity ward. Read…
Orant Charities
Our Programs
Learn more about the other programs we offer for the people of Malawi.
