MAM appeals for business loans for musicians
The Musicians Association of Malawi (MAM) has asked the National Economic Enterprises Fund (NEEF) to provide loans to musicians to enable them to venture in small and medium enterprises.
MAM Board Chairperson, Wycliffe Chimwendo, said this would help in improving musicians’ livelihoods in this time of Covid -19.
Chimwendo was speaking in Lilongwe over the weekend during the NEEF awareness meeting.
During the meeting, which NEEF organized, musicians were drilled on the processes they can follow to access NEEF loans and how to repay them.
Chimwendo disclosed that, just like many other sectors, Covid-19 has hit the music industry so hard, especially because of the restrictions that limit patronage of music concerts to 200 people.
“As you may be aware, the current Covid- 19 guidelines restrict outdoor gathering to a very few people. Now our job for us as musicians depends on large gatherings. This has really affected us,” he said.
Chimwendo then requested NEEF management to give musicians loans while, at the same time, urging the musicians to repay the loans once secured.
MAM President Gloria Kampingo Manong’a said apart from being blessed with music talent, most musicians also boast of vast business skills.
Manong’a cited musicians who are also into carpentry and joinery, baking, among others.
NEEF Board Chairperson Jephta Mtema challenged the musicians to utilise the loans to venture into medium and small-scale business enterprises (MSMEs).
“The MSMEs hold the key to the growth of this economy and are best placed in realising government’s goal of creating one million jobs. The more business they are doing, the better the prospects of their businesses growing for them to create more jobs,” said Mtema.
During the meeting, the Director of Arts in the Ministry of Tourism, Humphrey Mpondaminga, said the government appreciates the role music industry plays in promotion of tourism in the country.
Mpondaminga said the 2015 National Cultural Policy encourages the government to invest much in the music industry so that the industry remains vibrant.
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