Lusubilo Community Care, in partnership with Catholic Relief Services (CRS), successfully conducted a Business Coaching Materials Development exercise in Chitipa from 13th to 21st June 2026 under the Integrated Support for Orphans, Vulnerable Children and Youth (IOVCY II) Project.
The activity was undertaken to strengthen business coaching and mentorship for Graduation Model participants by developing practical and relevant training materials tailored to the needs of small family businesses.
Recognizing that sustainable livelihoods are built on strong business knowledge and skills, the exercise brought together Lusubilo project staff, Government Community Development personnel, and CRS representatives to develop content that would effectively support participants in establishing, managing, and growing enterprises.
Throughout the exercise, participants engaged in collaborative discussions to identify key business themes and principles aligned with Malawi Government guidelines and community realities. The sessions focused on defining practical approaches to business coaching and mentorship while ensuring that the materials developed would be relevant, easy to understand, and applicable to small-scale family businesses.
The team also worked on identifying areas that can be used for capturing short videos that will be used as part of the business coaching package. Through these stories, participants will be able to learn from one another, gain inspiration, and apply practical business principles to improve their enterprises.
In addition, the exercise resulted in the development of a basic business coaching guide that will support community development personnel and mentors in delivering structured coaching sessions. The guide was designed to provide a practical reference for facilitating discussions on business establishment, management, and growth.
Community Development Assistants presenting during the meeting
Speaking during the meeting, Director of Planning and Development (DPD) for Chitipa District Council, Phillimon Maseko, commended Lusubilo Community Care for its continued commitment to improving the lives of vulnerable households in the District. He observed that while many organizations are facing funding challenges that have affected the implementation of development activities, Lusubilo has remained committed to supporting communities through various interventions aimed at improving household welfare and livelihoods.
DPD for Chitipa commending Lusubilo Community Care during the meeting.
At the end of the exercise, key business coaching themes were defined, and primary coaching guidance materials were compiled. These outputs marked an important step towards strengthening household livelihoods through improved business knowledge and mentorship.
Lusubilo is implementing IOVCY Project with financial support from the Coppell Family and technical assistance from CRS.