Oxfam gives Machinga communities relief items

Oxfam Malawi has given communities in Machinga relief items and money to cushion them against the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Speaking on Wednesday at Nsanama during the launch of the Covid-19 response, Oxfam regional director (Southern Africa) Nellie Nyang’wa said the global pandemic has affected people’s livelihoods in the district.

“That is why the response include cash transfer of K15 000 each to 2 550 households to engage in economic activities,” she said.

Oxfam also distributed  hand-washing buckets and soap to 1 100 households, menstrual hygiene kits to adolescent girls from youth clubs and 14 mobile phones to social protection workers to enable them to   track and report gender-based violence in the district.

Nyang’wa urged community members to follow Covid-19 preventive measures to curb further spread of the pandemic.

On her part, Machinga district commissioner Rosemary Nawasha commended Oxfam for the support, saying the pandemic has affected the district.

“Besides health workers helping people affected, they are also attending returnees under quarantine at Machinga Teachers’ Training College.

A beneficiary, Ireen Chipalanga, thanked Oxfam for the support.

“The pandemic has affected our economic well-being as it has disrupted small-scale businesses. The money will go a long way in relieving the economic burden brought by Covid-19,” she said.

Last Friday, Oxfam also launched a similar response in Phalombe where some groups opted to receive farm inputs instead of money.

Oxfam has spent K43 million in Machinga and Phalombe.