World Relief Malawi has donated food items to at least 360 households affected by El Nino weather condition in Traditional Authority Nkoola in Machinga District.
The beneficiaries, who included female-headed households, people with disabilities and the youth, each received a package of 20 kilogrammes flour, one litre cooking oil, beans and soya pieces.
Speaking on Saturday during the handover, World Relief Malawi country director Matilda Chirwa said the donation follows government’s call to support affected households with relief items.
She said their food distribution programme, which runs from April to May this year, will be followed by a mixed cropping and irrigation farming initiative from June.
“We want to build long-term resilience and ensure food sufficiency for the affected households because
we know that handouts may not sustain them in the long run. We, therefore, urge them to adopt these interventions,” said Chirwa.
A beneficiary with disabilities, Stella Wisiki, 27, commended the organisation for the support.
“I could neither grow crops nor engage in income-generating activities to support myself and my seven-year-old child due to my condition,” she said.
On his part, Senior Chief Nkoola thanked the organisation for the assistance, saying the donation has brought hope to many families who were facing hunger.
“Many households did not harvest anything last growing season. Without such interventions, they will suffer,” he said.
Machinga district disaster risk management officer Shepherd Jere said the 2024 Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee (Mvac) report showed that the dry spell affected over 80 000 households.
“We also call upon other organisations to emulate this example and support us. Looking at the situation on the ground, the 2025/26 Mvac report may show an even higher number,” he said.
