Reports on Building a Women's Weaving Cooperative

Project Report | Feb 5, 2026
Strengthening Independence: Mahampy Phase III

By Betty Gisore | Grants and Administrative Assistant

Weaving Products in the Mahampy studio

We are pleased to share an update on Mahampy Weaving Project (Phase III), which commenced in October 2025. This phase focuses on strengthening the Cooperative’s governance and preparing members for full independence. We are deeply grateful for your continued support, which has made the progress outlined below possible and has strengthened the confidence and stability of the weavers involved.

A key milestone has been the successful creation and ratification of a new Cooperative constitution. This document clearly outlines the delegation of roles and responsibilities, governance procedures, rule enforcement, and member financial contributions. It provides a strong foundation for accountability and collective decision making as the Cooperative moves toward self management.

The Cooperative has also continued to demonstrate encouraging economic activity. Since November, members have sold products worth 1,573,000 MGA (approximately £252). While modest, these sales reflect growing coordination, improved organisation, and renewed motivation among artisans to expand production and reach new buyers.

An important development during this phase has been the establishment of a partnership with Tamala, a Malagasy social enterprise based in Antananarivo that collaborates with artisans across Madagascar. Tamala supports producers to improve product quality, strengthen business operations, and connect to regional, national, and international markets. This partnership is expected to significantly increase visibility and long term income opportunities for the Mahampy Cooperative.

Phase III is designed to support the transition of the Cooperative to independent governance. Through ongoing capacity building, access to resources, and strengthened market linkages, members are developing the skills and confidence needed to manage operations sustainably.

Thank you for your commitment to this work. Your support is helping build a resilient, self sustaining Cooperative and creating lasting opportunities for Mahampy’s weaving community. We appreciate your partnership and look forward to sharing further progress as the Cooperative continues growing and strengthening its independence.

Ratification of the new constitution

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Oct 8, 2025
Project Mahampy: Progress and Next Steps

By Betty Gisore and ChenChen Zha | Grants and Administrative Assistant

Mahampy products

Over the past three years, Project Mahampy has continued to strengthen women’s livelihoods in Sainte Luce through the Mahampy Weavers’ Cooperative. Following the progress made in Phase I, Phase II (September 2022 – August 2025) focused on consolidating technical, financial, and organisational skills among the most engaged 64 members.

Training introduced both improved traditional techniques and new skills to target the tourist market. These interventions contributed to a 59% increase in sales between year one and year two, though growth slowed in year three due to the impacts of Tropical Storm Jude, which forced the workshop to close for four months. Alongside weaving, women broadened their capacities through 30 months of literacy classes and eight gender-inclusive financial literacy sessions, supporting stronger household budgeting, savings, and financial planning. A market analysis conducted at the end of Phase II identified both persistent constraints and promising opportunities within the Mahampy sector. Findings highlighted barriers to production, market access challenges, and demand-side bottlenecks, showing the critical need for further support to strengthen the cooperative’s autonomy.

As a result, plans for a new phase are underway. Phase III will build directly on these achievements to secure the cooperative’s long-term independence. Three key outcomes for phase III will be

Enhanced governance through revision of the Cooperative’s constitution, renewed clarity on roles and responsibilities, and democratic elections to reinforce accountable leadership.
Strengthened finances via the creation of an Introductory Savings Group, transitioning savings and lending into a cooperative-led system to reduce vulnerability and build independence
Improved market navigation through a tailored business training curriculum designed to expand trading opportunities, strengthen buyer engagement, and improve resilience to shocks.

Through your continued support, the Mahampy Weavers’ Cooperative will be better equipped to thrive beyond project completion through strengthened governance, improved financial management, and increased market knowledge, securing a vital source of income for women and their households in Anosy.

Thank you for being part of this work.

Financial Literacy lessons

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Jun 11, 2025
A Story of Growth and Empowerment

By Lili Ricke | UK Programmes and Offices Assistant

The Weavers' Workshop after Cyclone Jude

Since its launch in September 2022, Project Mahampy Phase II has become a powerful story of women-led resilience, collaboration, and change. Over the past two and a half the Mahampy Weavers’ Cooperative has made remarkable strides.

Women weavers have deepened their technical knowledge through a train-the-trainer approach, with experienced members leading three weaving sessions. More than half the Cooperative joined the final session in November 2023, a testament to their enthusiasm for learning. A specialist-led workshop introduced value-added product design.

To strengthen operations, Cooperative members took part in six sessions on departmental roles and responsibilities, achieving an average 62% attendance. Meanwhile, 30 months of literacy training have strengthened foundational skills that extend far beyond the workshop.

The impact of financial inclusion has also been transformative. The education savings scheme, which has now run for three years, enabled dozens of weavers to cover annual school fees. Two rounds of the alternative loan scheme were fully repaid, and a third round was launched in April 2024. A newly designed financial literacy curriculum has already reached 85% of weavers and their partners.

Beyond livelihoods, ten women are now actively monitoring the health of the Mahampy wetlands, contributing to two data-driven reports using field and drone data. Their leadership is turning traditional knowledge into conservation science.

In the face of these remarkable strides, the Cooperative faced a major setback in March 2025, when Cyclone Jude made landfall in the area, damaging the workshop and some of the previously handwoven stock.

Thanks to supporters like you, the repairs are underway. The workshop is being rebuilt stronger than before, with a cyclone-resistant roof, a new concrete wall, and even a 2,000-litre rainwater tank to provide clean water for drinking and handwashing. These upgrades will not only restore the workshop, but will protect it for years to come.

With each woven mat, savings deposit, or survey completed, the women are building something bigger: a future rooted in dignity, opportunity, and environmental care.

Thank you for your support