The Coca-Cola Foundation, World Vision, and VisionFund announce launch of Shock-Responsive Inclusive Market Systems (SIMS) initiative in Malawi and Zambia

• An initiative by World Vision and VisionFund with catalytic support from The Coca-Cola Foundation, SIMS responds to growing climate pressures by helping protect local enterprises, markets and economic opportunity in Malawi and Zambia.
• SIMS Phase 1 aims to support approximately 5,000 micro and small enterprises and benefit an estimated 20,000 people.
• Over two years, SIMS will connect enterprise support, inclusive finance and disaster preparedness and response to help unlock additional finance and develop an approach that can be adapted elsewhere.
• SIMS is being launched against the backdrop of the 2024 El Niño-induced drought, which prompted both Malawi and Zambia to declare national disasters and left millions of people facing food insecurity across the region. As the region continues to recover from these shocks, forecasts point to a potentially very strong El Niño in 2026/27, with Southern Africa at heightened risk of below-average rainfall, extreme heat and renewed pressure on food and livelihood systems.

Federal Way, Washington (October 16, 2026) — The Coca-Cola Foundation, World Vision and VisionFund today announced the launch of Shock-Responsive Inclusive Market Systems, or SIMS, a two-year initiative that will help small enterprises and local markets in Malawi and Zambia prepare for and recover from droughts, floods and other extreme weather events.

Supported by a US$1 million catalytic grant from The Coca-Cola Foundation, alongside co-financing and institutional support from World Vision and VisionFund, SIMS aims to support approximately 5,000 micro and small enterprises and benefit an estimated 20,000 people. The initiative will work with enterprises linked to producer groups and savings groups in selected districts of Malawi and Zambia.

Climate-related shocks are becoming more frequent and severe, while economic pressures can deepen their effects. Droughts, floods and tropical storms can disrupt supply chains and leave small enterprises without the stock, working capital or customers they need to continue operating. Financial institutions may also face greater risk and funding pressures, causing access to finance to tighten just when viable businesses need it most. When businesses cannot remain open or recover quickly, families lose income, jobs are put at risk and essential goods and services become harder to access.

Economic prosperity is not only about creating opportunity. It is also about protecting people’s ability to hold onto that opportunity when crisis strikes. Small businesses sustain families, jobs and local economies, yet a single climate shock can erase years of progress. Through the SIMS program, The Coca-Cola Foundation aims to help entrepreneurs build the resilience they need to withstand disruption, recover faster and continue creating opportunity in their communities,” noted Carlos Pagoaga, President, The Coca-Cola Foundation.

“When a small business remains open or recovers quickly, the benefits extend across the community. Families retain income, jobs are protected and essential goods and services remain available,” said Otto Farkas, Director, Disaster Recovery Financing Solutions, VisionFund.

“SIMS is about putting the preparation and partnerships in place before disaster strikes so local economies can recover faster.”

"We see, firsthand, what happens when a drought or a flood takes away a family's only source of income. A mother who can no longer restock her small shop cannot feed her children that week, let alone plan for the next season. That is why World Vision is investing not only in emergency response, but in the resilience that prevents each shock from becoming a full-blown crisis. SIMS allows us to stand with these entrepreneurs before disaster strikes, and to be ready to walk alongside them the moment it does,” said Chris Glynn, SVP, Chief Partnerships Development Officer, World Vision.

SIMS will connect enterprise support, access to finance and disaster preparedness and response. Before shocks occur, it will help enterprises and local partners understand risks and strengthen preparedness, while helping financial institutions plan how to respond. Following a shock, these arrangements will help appropriate support and responsible finance reach viable affected enterprises more quickly. The Coca-Cola Foundation’s grant will support this groundwork rather than fund loans directly.

SIMS will be implemented by World Vision and VisionFund teams in selected districts of Malawi and Zambia for two years through April 2028. The project is currently in its inception phase. Target districts have been identified, and country teams are mapping local risks, enterprises and markets and engaging communities and potential partners.

The experience in Malawi and Zambia will be used to identify what works and demonstrate how catalytic funding can help mobilise additional public funding and private capital for recovery and resilience. The resulting approach can then be adapted and scaled elsewhere.

SIMS aligns with The Coca-Cola Foundation’s focus on economic prosperity and entrepreneurship while addressing the growing need to help protect enterprises, livelihoods and local economies from climate-related disruption.

For more information about SIMS and the organisations supporting the initiative, visit worldvision.org and visionfund.org.