Chikwawa Diocese rescues hunger-stricken families

Chikwawa Catholic Diocese on Thursday launched distribution of relief food items to 1 400 hunger-stricken families in Thyolo.
According to Chikwawa Diocese Bishop Peter Musikuwa, who presided over the function, funding for the relief food came from the head of the Catholic Church Pope Francis following an appeal by the Episcopal Conference of Malawi.

The bishops sent the appeal after the Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee (Mvac) report revealed that 6.5 million Malawians were at risk of starvation.
“From the money the Pope sent to all dioceses in Malawi, Chikwawa Diocese received K39 million to buy maize, beans and pay for distribution logistics,” said Musikuwa.
He said the distribution launch at Njale Parish will continue at Molele and Konzaalendo in Thyolo.

Musikuwa asked the beneficiaries not to sell the relief food.
“We know there are many countries in the world which are currently affected by hunger and the office of the Pope receives many appeals, that is why I am asking you not to sell the maize,” he said.
While thanking Chikwawa Diocese for the food donation, Thyolo District Council vice-chairperson Clamence Chinangwa and Traditional Authority (T/A) Khwethemule asked the church not to get tired of assisting hunger-stricken families because the harvest in some parts of Thyolo is not promising.

“Just recently we were talking to the agricultural officials that they should visit the southern parts of the district. We had armyworms and later on a two-week dry spell which damaged our crop,” he said.
During the function, each of the 500 beneficiaries received a bag of maize and five kilogramme beans.