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CUMO Microfinance Limited is Concern Universal’s not-for-profit rural microfinance company, providing financial services & mentoring to over 65,000 people in Malawi.
Registered in 2000, CUMO was the product of Concern Universal’s work offering small loans to remote villagers. CUMO aims to enhance the productivity, income and self-reliance of remote rural villagers, including women and people with disability, who are currently excluded from critical financial and non-financial services.
CUMO is now the second largest rural microfinance provider in Malawi with exclusive focus on deprived remote rural villagers.
Designed as a low-cost, revenue generating and self-sustaining social business enterprise, CUMO comprises interest income, transaction fees and the use of mobile and existing structures to minimize costs.
The model has proven that credit for small businesses can make a huge difference to people living in poverty.
Case stories
Improving lives with business loans & training
Ostin joined CUMO Micro Finance Limited (CUMO) in 2003. With an initial loan of MK3,000 (US$18), Ostin started a tin smith business. Ostin was one of the first to receive entrepreneurial training from CUMO’s training facility.
Small loan unearths hidden talents
Green Kaunda Chisale, 44, of Makenzi Village, T/A Msamala, in Balaka District stopped going to school as he couldn’t afford the school fees. Struggling to find work with no qualifications, Green Kaunda Chisale embarked on a search for an alternative way to earn a living.
Thank you to our CUMO partners
Technical Partners
- Farmers World
- Agora Limited
- NBS Bank
- Standard Bank
- Malawi Savings Bank
- Malawi Agricultural Commodity Exchange
- NICO Life
- Malawi Enterprise Development Institute
- Centre for Agricultural Research & Development, University of Malawi
- Deepening Malawi’s Microfinance Sector Project
- Airtel Malawi
Development Partners
- Concern Universal (DFID, IRISH AID)
- USAID
- FIMA Fund
- CGAP
Contact the CUMO office
Ezikiel Phiri, Chief Executive Officer
- CUMO Procurement Committee,
- CUMO Microfinance Ltd,
- P. O. Box 222,
- Dedza, Malawi
t: 
