Maria John: Overcoming Adversity in Malawi

When Maria John’s husband was laid off, they sat down and gave it a good think. And they realized that, even though Malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world, they had one thing going for them. Unlike so many Malawians, they had electricity in their home, which opened up a world of business possibilities.

With support from FINCA, Maria and her husband decided to take advantage of their access to electricity by opening a welding shop in their home. Even though Maria’s husband died a few years later, that welding shop has now expanded to include a peanut milling machine. The business is doing so well that Maria has even purchased three plots of land where she built modest rental homes.

Play to listen to her tell her story in the video below.