The status on WhatsApp read, “As Malawians, we do have a poverty mindset.” One of our partners requested and I quote: “Remind me of the theory that describes where it all came from next time we meet.” The poverty mindset within us suggested that if this comment had come from someone in the UK or USA, we might have praised them. However, this is about the poverty mindset. We would not be asking for evidence of this poverty mindset.
We need to spend a bit of time discussing the poverty mindset. This mindset makes people exhibit certain behaviours that are common among Malawians. Complaining is one of the most significant issues associated with the poverty mindset. We complain too much and we do not provide solutions. If you were to observe Malawians in their everyday spaces, you would find that 95% of their time is spent complaining. If you go on social media, Malawians will complain a lot as well. What the poverty mindset in us does not realize is that complaining drains a lot of energy from a person. The more you complain, the less energy you have to engage in productive activities. As Malawians, we need to stop complaining and start being productive. We need to start identifying solutions for our country. These complaints may only last for a few moments, but their impact can be lasting.
The poverty mindset blames everything that goes wrong on someone else. Once you have a poverty mindset, it blindfolds you and makes you see yourself as perfect. You spend more time blaming others for all the wrong things happening. Addressing the blaming attitude inherent in the poverty mindset requires serious self-analysis. Examine the people you associate with and ask why you are associating with them. There is an argument that we associate for business opportunities. But wait a minute. Are we sure that all the engagements you have bring business benefits? Pause, reflect, and assess the business opportunities for the people you associate with. It is crucial to be honest with ourselves. Unfortunately, those who benefit from us in our current status will never be honest or challenge us. They will always tell us that we are doing well, and this perpetuates the poverty mindset.
When we have a poverty mindset, it discourages us from taking any progressive or productive actions. A poverty mindset can provide over 200 reasons why certain ideas are not worth pursuing. Consider how you might be advised, or how your own thoughts might tell you, not to start a business because many people have failed. Currently, Malawi does not benefit from its produce because we have been discouraged from entering the business sector, leaving it to foreigners who, after exporting, transfer the foreign currency to their own bank accounts. We then begin to complain about foreign currency shortages and accuse the government of the unavailability of forex. So, what are our solutions? In our poverty mindset, we continue to push the blame agenda.
Poverty mindset gossips too much. Think about the workplace and WhatsApp groups where middle managers and others complain and gossip about their leaders! These spaces have been developed to undermine leadership. This behaviour does not help any system; it only serves to frustrate one another further. They are busy in meetings sending out discussions as recorded, yet they are not contributing anything meaningful. What they do not realise is that the minutes will show they attended the meeting, which means they were part of that decision. The gossip mindset needs to be eliminated to move forward. As long as we maintain the gossip culture in our homes, workplaces, business groups, etc., our poverty mindset will remain unchanged, and we will continue to be vulnerable.
A poverty mindset stops you from working hard and leads you to believe in jackpots, luck, and miracles. When you have a poverty mindset, you cease to work and instead expect miracles. Wait a minute; Rev Kambwiri demonstrates how the shop owner will introduce games like bawo, pool, and betting in the shop, attracting people to participate. The shop owner will play the games with you while making money, part of which comes from your participation. Listen to the stories shared during these games, and you will realise how they impact your own growth and development. You may feel discouraged, thinking that there are many obstacles. Remember, this is about the poverty mindset.
A poverty mindset lacks focus and intimidate others. National Online reported that Bakhressa is looking for soybeans but cannot find them. Consequently, Bakhressa has to import Soya Crude Oil, which is not practical given the forex situation. However, we will not pursue this option because we experienced a year of poor soybean harvests, leading to a situation where demand is not being met. We are aware that we failed to meet the demand for soybeans in South Sudan a few years ago. These issues stem from a poverty mindset, which leads us to spend too much time discouraging each other from participating in comprehensive activities.
If youth clubs were mobilised to cultivate an acre of soybeans each, and we have 300 clubs, how much soybeans would we harvest? Remember, we already have a market ready to buy this produce, so we do not need to seek out buyers. However, our poverty mindset leads us to believe that this is not possible. We tend to view such initiatives as scams, despite the realities of the processes involved. We even discourage one another from participating in Saving and Credit Associations, engaging in production activities, and intimidate others from getting involved. Our poverty mindset creates a hostile environment for those who wish to engage and participate, often blocking them with negativity.
The poor mindset spends little time reflecting on mistakes and learning. Because our poverty mindset is predominantly negative, it fails to create the space needed for self-reflection on what we are doing, why we are doing it, and the implications of our actions. This mindset leads us to focus on problems rather than opportunities. The poverty mindset compels us to highlight negatives while overlooking positives. We hope that as the Commission on Social Development convenes in New York from 2 to 11 February 2026, we will reflect on our poverty mindset and work towards improving the social well-being of the people of Malawi.
