Navigating Nkhotakota floods
Regular routines have paused for hundreds of families in Nkhotakota District affected by the heavy rains and severe flooding in February and March this year.
The floods impacted 92 000 people, according to the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (Dodma).
They left parts of Nkhotakota beset with ripped roads, gullies and waterlogged places. Homes were damaged and rendered uninhabitable while some schools were turned into emergency shelters in days. The floods submerged farming fields and washed away crops, adversely impacting the country’s food security.
Says Nkhotakota District acting disaster risk management officer George Zibophe: “The humanitarian support is ongoing in Nkhotakota. However, part of the road network is inaccessible by vehicles, hindering access to essential services and delivery of supplies such as food, fuel and medicines for the displaced communities.” The swelling waters of Lake Malawi cut off Chauma. It is now an island.
A boat ride to Chauma from Dwangwa Estate takes one hour. The engine boat was instrumental in delivering humanitarian response supplies to the new island.
Life on New Island
Maureen Chirwa, a 14-year-old learner at Chauma Primary School rides the canoe daily to access education.
She laments how floods have made it difficult for her to access education: “The floods swept away our house. We could not go to school for some days. Our school block and toilets were also blown away.
“My colleagues and I use the local boat to go to school. We paddle these canoes manually. There is no grown-up to help us, so we get there late most of the time,” she narrates.
Her determination is a beacon of hope in the face of adversity.
Statistics from Nkhotakota District Council indicate that the floods affected 22 primary schools and two secondary schools. At least 12 schools were used as camps, with 44 classrooms at the schools occupied by the displaced people.
The disruption left 18 797 learners, including 109 with disabilities, unable to learn.
To limit the floods’ impact on children’s education, the Malawi Government’s emergency response, supported by Unicef, provided essential education and water, sanitation and hygiene (Wash) supplies to restore learning for children in the 22 affected schools.
Chauma Primary School headteacher Dustain Kwacha applauds humanitarian response efforts that have revamped learning ensured access to clean water and improved school sanitation.
“We now have a marquee which has provided a new lease of life as learners now enjoy uninterrupted classes in this tent as the old school block’s roof was blown off.
“We also received teaching and learning materials. We are better off, we have hope things will get back to normal. It has been a tough experience,” he said, adding the Wash supplies helped the school prevent waterborne disease outbreaks.
The government, with Unicef support, is also conducting outreach clinics to provide primary healthcare services to the displaced communities and protect their wellbeing and the survival of children.
The education, Wash and health support to the affected communities was possible with funding from the governments of Norway and Canada as well as the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund.
