Love him or loath him but Vice President Michael Bizwick Usi is a game changer, goal getter and a team player. Ask the National Economic Empowerment Fund NEEF – an organisation that was tainted with negativity to the extent that some thought it gives loans to ruling party supporters.
But since the day Vice President Usi stepped in and started speaking about Neef as a crucial government institution that can bail the poor of the poorest out of gut wrenching poverty – the narration has changed.
The corporate face of Neef has been slowly but surely shifted in just a matter of weeks.
Let’s come to face it. Here is the Vice President who has revolutionalosed Neef and pleading with the institution to review some of the conditions that hinder the poor from accessing loans.
“For instance, the issue of Guarantor must be reviewed. Think of a poor woman seeking to borrow K50,000 to boost her Mandasi business but noone is stepping up to be her Guarantor. Do we penalise this innocent woman?” Queried the Vice President when he met Neef top management.
The Vice President has also taken it to himself to help take off political colours from the organisation while truly projecting it as a financing institution established to empower Malawians.
“Neef is not for politicians and their followers. Neef is for Malawians. Neef must empower people to make them self-reliant. Begging is not good. Begging brings disrespect,” the veep told Neef assemblies in Salima, Kasungu, Karonga and Mzimba this week.
Neef CEO Humphrey Mdyetseni has been at loss of words to thank the Vice President for his efforts to step in and energise the organisation that has been battling negative publicity.
“We sincerely thank you, Your Honour. You have demonstrated to the public that Neef is not all what they think it is. The mindset has changed. You have visited and encouraged beneficiaries who are changing their lives as well as the lives of their communities,” said Mdyetseni.
Mdyetseni further notes that the Vice President has gone beyond leadership to Ambassadorial role in his bid to have more Malawians access the loans to start small scale businesses.
“You have challenged us to be responsive and flexible to change. We will review some of our processes to achieve and ensure that we cut bureaucracies and delays that people encounter to access loans,” said Mdyetseni in one of the meetings.
To achieve his crusade to bring public trust into Neef, the Vice President has over the week put extra hours to meet beneficiaries and prospective beneficiaries to get organised and access the loans.
What the Vice President has not forgotten to preach in his crusade for a responsive Neef, is to tell the people that they must always remember to pay back their loans.
“This is a revolving fund. When we borrow, we must pay so that we can borrow and that others too can borrow. In doing so we will be empowered and be able to fight poverty,” said the Vice President.
Meanwhile, the Vice President on Friday concluded his firt leg of Neef rovolution and rebranding tours with Mzimba where he interacted with beneficiaries and visited those that have excelled through Neef loans.
Prior to Mzimba, the Vice President was in Karonga 24 hours earlier and was visibly impressed with the thriving Hara Rice scheme – a scheme he described that can do more and prove that Neef can change lives.
One man, one Vice President, one passionate individual showing us what ought to be done to tell our success story at the expense of doom and gloom that social media would make us believe about Neef.
