Although access to formal savings opportunities are very limited in such areas in Malawi, grassroots rotating savings and credit associations are a locally managed alternative that has worked well in many African countries. Analyzing market chains for particular items can help COPE link producers to markets with potential for growth and help businesses connect with more economical sources of supply. This approach involves finding out who buys from whom and who sells to whom to identify bottlenecks. Activities that can overcome these constrictions in the flow of goods represent economic opportunities that AIDS committees or affected households may be able to benefit from. Linking rural villages with agricultural inputs and advice can help them increase their production or start new crops.
Apprenticeships link youth to artisans in the informal system.
Artisans benefit from free labor, and the apprentice gains a skill. It is essential, however, to select trades with growth potential to increase the chances of training leading to employment. Programs targeting HIV prevention often operate in isolation from those providing care for people living with AIDS, orphans, and others made vulnerable by the epidemic. This undermines commitment among the poor to implement prevention messages. However, the sense of empowerment that comes with effective community mobilization reinforces among participants the sense that they can affect the circumstances of their lives.