Disaster committees receive bicycles

Concern Worldwide has donated 25 bicycles worth K4.5 million to village disaster risk management committees in Nsanje District.

Speaking on Friday after the donation, Concern Worldwide Nsanje district programmes manager Sanama Maganga said they received a request from the committees to help with bicycles to ease their mobility challenges.

He said: “We are implementing a new project called Zurich Flood Alliance in seven traditional authorities [T/As] aimed at preparing people for disasters.

“We will distribute the bicycles to 15 committees. Ten committees will each get two bicycles while five will receive one each.”

Maganga said the bicycles will help committees to consolidate data and send it to district risk management committee to enable stakeholders respond to disasters in time.

Speaking after she received two bicycles, Nthole village disaster risk management committee secretary Edina Mofolo from T/A Malemia in the district thanked the organisation for the gesture.

She also said Concern Worldwide gave them equipment such as raincoats, whistles and safety boots to use during disasters.

“The equipment will ease our job during disasters because communication is one of the most important aspects in saving people’s lives,” said Mofolo.

Nsanje district commissioner Dominic Mwandira also thanked the organisation for supporting people to prepare for disasters.

He said: “This is not the first time that Concern Worldwide is supporting us. Last year they donated nine bicycles to the district’s nine area disaster risk management committees.

“Take note that these bicycles are meant for committee members to use where necessary. Let me warn chairpersons not to take the bicycles as your own.”

Nsanje is one of the disaster-prone districts in the country.

In recent years, the district has experienced the impact of cyclones such as Freddy, Idai, Gombe and Anna which have affected people and destroyed infrastructure such as roads and irrigation schemes.