Building a Women's Weaving Cooperative

Over the past six months, Project Mahampy has taken important steps towards its long-term goal of enabling the Mahampy Weaving Cooperative to operate independently and sustainably. While previous phases focused on strengthening weaving skills, product development, and establishing cooperative structures, Phase III is centred on ensuring members have the systems, skills, and confidence needed to manage and grow the cooperative beyond the life of the project.

A key milestone during this reporting period was the beginning of a new partnership with TananaLab, a Malagasy organisation specialising in strengthening small enterprises and community organisations. In March 2026, TananaLab conducted an in-depth assessment of the cooperative, examining areas including governance, communication, production processes, inventory management, and market readiness. This assessment provided valuable insights into the cooperative’s strengths and areas for development and will inform a tailored programme of business training and mentoring over the coming year.

The project has also continued to strengthen members’ financial resilience. Despite seasonal income pressures during the lean season, members continued to contribute to the cooperative’s Education Savings Scheme, helping families prepare for future school expenses. Progress has also been made towards establishing a formal bank account for the savings group, which will provide greater security, transparency, and financial accountability.

Alongside these developments, cooperative members participated in refresher training sessions designed to strengthen understanding of departmental responsibilities and improve internal coordination. These sessions helped identify and address operational challenges, supporting members to take greater ownership of day-to-day cooperative management.

Monitoring data collected during this period also highlighted an important challenge: a decline in workshop sales linked to reduced tourism in Sainte Luce. While this has affected income opportunities for weavers, it has reinforced the importance of the project’s strategy to diversify markets and strengthen business capacity. Over the coming months, support will focus on market development, business skills training, and strengthening commercial partnerships, helping the cooperative build a more resilient future and move closer to full independence.