The Selengo maize mill began operation in March 2007 and since that time, has had a tremendous impact on the lives of people in the surrounding community.
Underwritten by generous gifts from the Presbytery of Western North Carolina and Trinity Presbyterian Church in Camarillo, CA, the mill has for the first time enabled local people to access milling services right at their doorsteps. In the past, people had to walk up to ten miles, carrying heavy loads of maize, to reach the nearest mill.
The mill has had a multiplier effect on the economic life of the village. Numerous small shops have sprung up around the maize mill to serve mill customers, and because Ministry of Hope charges less than other mills in the area, people have more money to spend.
The mill has also brought another spark to village life by offering a service to recharge car batteries, an important source of electricity for many rural Malawians. "Malawians use car batteries for lights and cooking," said MoH director Charles Gwengwe. "We charge about 20 Kwacha (.15¢ USD) for them to recharge a battery using the mill generator, whereas before they had to transport the battery into town for service."
Most importantly, the Ministry of Hope feeding center at Selengo
has greatly benefited from the new maize mill. Jimmy Kuthyola, Center Supervisor, says that in addition to the convenience of on-site milling services, the mill has significantly reduced operational costs. The center no longer must pay for milling costs or the hiring of ox-carts to transport the maize elsewhere to be milled. The mill also provides employment for several people in the community who are now able to support their families.
