Malawi Council for the Handicapped (MACOHA)

As a part of my Knowledge Management role with VSO Malawi, I travelled to the south of the country to visit Secured Livelihoods Volunteer, Dinali De Zoysa based in the MACOHA Bangwe Factory which offers employment and community rehabilitation for people with disabilities. As a love-child of the disability rights movement in Canada, I felt at home the moment I stepped through the gates of MACOHA`s weaving, tailoring, screen printing, tie and dye- Textile Factory in Bangwe, Malawi. I was raised by a community of quadriplegics, ‘thalidomide babies’, people with Tarettes, mental health issues, learning disabilities, chronic illnesses…( you get the point) and in all the places I have been in the world I have always found a home away from home in the local disability community.

Dinali has been working with the factory’s production unit to reduce wastage, increase efficiency, access markets and become financially sustainable, as the participants are being currently being paid with government funds. The factory has been selling their garments in outlets on a consignment basis and producing promotional items for companies. Roughly 75 people with disabilities are employed here presently.

Dinali is a friendly, outgoing long term volunteer warming a cold cement office in the 1970`s era building that houses MACHOA. Her offices is off the screen printing department dominated by Deaf people, where I was happy to get a chance to brush up/show off the sign language skills learned in Zambia. I loved the translation of the sign names: Cheer, Cutting Grass, Crying and Sweeping all to do with habits and occupations. I could have spent the rest of the day practicing my sign language and filling in the gaps with theatrics but there was a Partnership Development Process meeting to attend with my bosses I had travelled down from the capital city with.

Past the store front in the first building and up the halls we were greeted by many smiling faces. One of the issues Dinali faces in improving production and developing the factory to be a competative market enterprise is that people seem to be too comfortable here.  Our tour guides brought us onto the weaving room where we were met by blaring music and many blind people in shades. We (the Secured Livelihoods Team) listened to the director’s facts and stats and subtly guided the passers by from bumping into the doorframes since we were taking up so much room and distorting the staff’s orientation with their workspace.  

The Bangwe Factory manufactures a wide selection of products from clothing, hand bags, hats, mats, etc. and supports the local economy by using locally produced materials whenever possible. The factory is also commissioned to screen print logos on uniforms and craft visions inspired by an up and coming fashion designer. Personally, I fell in love with vibrant hammock but there is something for everyone.