Building community health through Co-operative Finance

How SACCO Members Are Funding the Medwood Community Pharmacies Network

Across Zimbabwe, access to affordable, family-centred pharmaceutical care remains a challenge for many households—especially women and girls who require safe, dignified and comprehensive reproductive health services. In response to these long-standing gaps, AllWomen Africa Credit Union and its affiliated SACCOs have launched a groundbreaking initiative: the Medwood Community Pharmacies Project, a nationwide network of community-focused pharmacies established and funded through Co-operative Debentures purchased by SACCO members.

This innovative approach places ordinary women, families and communities at the centre of healthcare development—not as donors, but as co-investors, empowered to build and benefit from the services they need.

A Cooperative Solution to a National Health Challenge

Zimbabwe faces an acute shortage of accessible pharmacy services, uneven distribution of qualified pharmacists and limited health education in communities. Women and girls, in particular, often struggle to access affordable reproductive health services and safe medical support.

Medwood Community Pharmacies presents a bold, practical response:

• A plan to establish pharmacy units in all 10 provinces
• A model focused on family health, preventive care and women’s reproductive wellbeing
• A structure where each pharmacy is owned and operated by qualified pharmacists, ensuring regulatory compliance and professional standards

But what makes this project truly unique is how it is funded.

Financing Through Co-operative Debentures:

Health Services Built by the People, for the People

Instead of relying on commercial funding or foreign investment, the Medwood project is financed through Co-operative Debentures issued to SACCO members within the AllWomen Africa Credit Union ecosystem.

It is a co-operative finance model, where members voluntarily purchase debentures to support a specific project and enjoy defined member benefits.

How It Works

1. SACCO members purchase Medwood Co-operative Debentures.
   Each debenture directly funds the establishment of pharmacy units—registration, setup, equipment and initial operating capital.
2. Members earn a coupon (interest) on their debentures.
   The coupon accumulates over time, creating a growing asset for the member.
3. Debentures can be redeemed at any time.
   Members may withdraw their capital and accumulated coupon in cash or redeem them for pharmacy services, including:

• Medicines
• Health consultations
• Sexual & reproductive health support
• Family health packages

Each pharmacy becomes community-owned in spirit and in benefit.
The more members invest, the more communities gain access to essential medicines, after-hours services and preventive health programs.

This model transforms SACCO savings from idle deposits into productive assets, while directly improving healthcare access for the members who funded it.

Why Co-operative Debentures Are Ideal for Health Projects

Co-operative Debentures offer a financing model that aligns with values of community empowerment, ethical investment and shared prosperity:

1. Member-Controlled Development: Funds come from SACCO members—meaning communities decide which projects matter most.

2. Low-Risk, Asset-Backed Funding: Debentures directly finance physical pharmacy units, equipment, stock and operations.

3. Tangible Member Benefit: Members do not only earn financial returns—they also gain the right to redeem their investment for healthcare services.

4. Sustainable Growth: Each funded unit becomes a self-sustaining business operated by licensed pharmacist-directors.

5. Keeps Wealth Within Communities: Instead of profits leaving the country or sector, value circulates within SACCO groups, strengthening women and families.

A Vision for National Reach and Women-Centred Healthcare

The Medwood Community Pharmacies Project aims to expand steadily:

Short-Term (Years 1–2)

• Establish 10 flagship pharmacies managed by the founder
• Build brand legitimacy through strict regulatory compliance
• Begin community health education in pilot cities

Medium-Term (Years 3–5)

• Grow to 15–20 units nationwide
• Recruit independent pharmacist-directors from across Zimbabwe
• Launch mobile pharmacy services to reach rural communities

Long-Term (Years 6–10)

• Operate 30+ units
• Become a national leader in women’s reproductive health
• Integrate telehealth and digital pharmacy services
• Establish mentorship pipelines for young pharmacists

This vision positions Medwood as a transformative health network linked directly to the women and families who invest in it.

Empowering Women Through Investment, Not Donations

A defining philosophy of AllWomen Africa Credit Union is that women are not passive recipients of help—they are investors, builders and owners of the solutions they need.

The Medwood Community Pharmacies Project embodies this idea by allowing women in SACCOs to:

• Financially empower themselves
• Build essential health infrastructure
• Earn returns on their investment
• Secure guaranteed access to medicine and services
• Strengthen their families’ wellbeing

Each debenture purchased is more than an investment—it is a statement of belief that Zimbabwean women can shape their own development.

A Blueprint for Community-Owned Healthcare

The Medwood Community Pharmacies initiative represents a new generation of community-driven development—where health systems are not imposed but built from the ground up by the very people who need them.

Through Co-operative Debentures, SACCO members under AllWomen Africa Credit Union are creating:

• Better healthcare for their families
• Investment income for themselves
• Sustainable businesses for communities
• A nationwide network of dignified, accessible pharmacies

This is what it means to combine co-operative finance with women-led innovation:
A movement where health, empowerment and economic participation grow together.