‘I say that I do not play my children, that we make money on soap’

In Malawi, a local worker Suzanna Kathumba thinks that 80,000 Kwacha ($ 46; £ 34; £ 34) can be economic to support his family every day.

In the living room, a bucket grows a piece of moisture and begins with tables and chairs, he considers the latest trick to save money.

“Let’s not pollute too much dirty for my little kids, because we can save from the soap,” he said. To the 43-year-old BBC.

“But it’s hard because children are children, they want to play.”

In the last few months, a divorced mother of four, which works in the capital Lilongwe, MS Kathumba is struggling to live in the salary due to increasing prices for goods in the market.

With less financial support from the past husband, it is the only profit for the house. Most of the money returns to four children living in Kasungu, 130 km (80 miles) in the northwestern capital of the capital. The two youngest children are still in school and two-year-olds are unemployed.

In May, the annual inflation rate in Malawi was 27.7% – One of the highest in Africa – 29.2% in April.

“What is surprising, the salaries remain the same, but the price of the goods continues daily,” he said, “said MS Kathumba.

“It ends before the money comes. We live a very heavy life.”

Last Ernst & Young Report Malawi said he was one of the few countries in the world, “Hyperinformation economy”, Burundi, Sierra Leone, Sudan and Venezuela and Zimbabwe were called “hyperinformation economy.” This is 100% or more if aggregate inflation is in three years.

According to the World Economic Outlook database, compiled by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the three-year annual aggregate rate of 3 years in December 2024, 2025 and 2026, forecasts 3 years of aggregate rates in 2025 and 2026.

Information from World Bank It also shows that the country is one of the world’s poorest. 70% of the population of the South African people live in less than $ 2.15 a day.

The current value of the crisis, without any deposit, left many citizens such as MS Kathumba.

“If I said I had a little money at the end of the month, I would lie. I haven’t been completely left,” he said.

“I pay 50,000 kvacha ($ 29) in every time. Then you need to get the same little salary. Sugar (1 kg) is now 4500 kvacha ($ 3).”

Economists are known for the current inflation problems in Malawi, known as “Forex”, known in banks.

Malawi often fights forex because it imports more than the country’s exports.

“Dr. Bertha Bangara Chikadza, Associate Professor in Macroeconomics at the University of Malawi, Associate Professor in Macroeconomics, BBC.

“We export the products like corn, soybeans and sugars, but are importing expensive products such as fertilizers, medicine and furniture, so you need a large amount of forex for it.”

Enterprises wishing to import goods, when you apply to banks for Forex – especially US dollars – because they are often rejected, because it is not available because it is not available.

This forces some of the exchange rates to seek US dollars in the black market, which is higher than 1,750 kVacha’s official exchange rate.

Traders can pay between 4000 and 5000 kvacha, which are a knockout effect for consumers.

Workers like Mohammad Hanif Waka, who owned a stationery store in the capital, said he lost many customers since putting prices.

“Sales fell sharp. We’ve forced to stab.”

He generally uses the lack of foreign currency, while importing items for the shop like office supplies, pens and notepad, now strives to access the goods.

“I can’t remember when our banks give us forex.”

Desperate, informal traders took to the streets to protest in February, hundreds of Malawi’s access to the Assembly.

“We must make a profit from our business,” he said in a statement to the BBC.

“But the way of work, we fail. The Malawia cannot buy our commodities.”

Earlier this year, the $ 175 million loan agreement with the IMF was suspended temporarily suspended. The four-year loan was approved in November 2023, and so far paid $ 35 million.

“Under the IMF policy, the program does not end in a period of 18 months, the program automatically completes and no opinion has been completed successfully” Justin Tyson, IMF mission, He spoke to the BBC.

Mr Tyson added that “financial discipline” “difficulty keeping in the current environment due to high spending pressure.”

However, Malawi’s Finance Minister Simplex Chithyola Banda, because the government’s decision to postpone a loan was reported to be a disagreement.

“You need to build stocks when you say, at the same time, because you do not have fuel, because you do not have fuel, because you do not have fuel,” you choose to get more fuel than increasing resources, “said BBC last month

“We have to stay in the program, you need to adjust the fuel prices, but can negatively affect the prices of key goods.”

With the National Elections, planned to be planned for September, the government says a number of steps to lower prices.

Trade Minister Vitumbiko Mumba has confirmed that Forex is rational, but it is said that registered enterprises can apply for the reserve bank or financial service. However, he also accuses traders for inflating prices.

“We will also build an economic provocation bill and an account of the necessary goods and services to regulate it,” he said.

Meanwhile, the main opposition laid inflation on the feet of those who were guilty.

No matter what the price of the score, living expenses are likely to be a great campaign.

Hope the daily struggles of the Malawi will be alleviated with government plans, and everyone wants a solution that brings continuous stability.

“We are dependent for help from the government,” said MS Kathumba.

“I hope that politicians remember less privileged maladies when deciding.”

Additional report by Jack Mcbrams in Lilongwe.