Cyclone survivors get relief items
New Apostolic Church Relief Organisation has donated relief items worth K76 million to at least 1 200 households affected by Tropical Cyclone Ana in Blantyre and Phalombe districts.
Speaking on Tuesday during the handover at Mapazi Camp in Blantyre, the church’s Malawi helper Arnold Mhango said they wanted to lessen the suffering of the survivors.
“However, we appeal for the protection of vulnerable groups, especially women, children and those with disabilities during this time,” he said.
Mapazi Camp civil protection officer Aubrey Sambani appealed for further support, adding that many survivors lost houses, food and clothes during the disaster.
“As we are speaking, many people do not have the means to generate income because they lost their property during the disaster,” he said.
One of the beneficiaries Elestina Nyambi thanked the church for the donation, saying she will use the items as starter-pack when she returns home.
“The authorities say we should return home where we will continue with recovery programmes. I appeal to well-wishers to support us with resources to build new houses,” she said.
The donated items included beans, mosquito nets, second-hand clothes, shoes, duvets, sugar, buckets, maize flour and household utensils.
Tropical Cyclone Freddy affected 2 514 910 people in the Southern Region.
The cyclone also displaced 659 000, killed 676 and injured 1 186 while 537 are still missing.
New Apostolic Church Relief Organisation partnered German-based organisations NAK-Karitativ and Hilfe Zur Selbsthilfe to reach out to the survivors.
