President Chakwera salutes Red Cross

 President Lazarus Chakwera, who is also patron of the Malawi Red Cross Society (MRCS), has called on Malawians to support the society during this year’s flag week which starts tomorrow.

Chakwera, who inaugurated the flag week with a donation of K2 million at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe on Friday, said the MRCS does commendable humanitarian work in the country.

“I have given the first donation to symbolise that, as a country, we value the work you do in Malawi and, I also urge Malawians to make their donations, which will go into supporting El Nino victims,” the President said.

He said in recent years the country has faced many challenging disasters, including the El Nino which has affected harvests, rendering nine million people food-insecure.

Every year, Red Cross holds a flag week across the world. This year, MRCS is holding the week in honour of its volunteers who risked their lives while serving people.

Chakwera saluted MRCS volunteers for working in very difficult places with dedication to save others trapped due to natural disasters and other pandemics.

MRCS president Innocent Majiya said the society is targeting to raise K160 million from donations and other fundraising activities to be used to help people who were affected by El Nino and previous disasters.

“Your Excellency, this year we have organised a cycling event from Lilongwe to Blantyre, dubbed ‘Cycling for Humanity’. This event aims at raising K100 million for disaster response and will see cyclists Dziwani Mwachumu and Kenneth Chikazunga cycling from Lilongwe to Blantyre from Monday, May 20 to Tuesday May 21 2024 ,on voluntary basis,” he said.

Among other contributions, MRCS has constructed and provided 136 multi-hazard, safer and dignified houses and food and non-food items to Tropical Cyclone Freddy survivors in Phalombe, Mulanje, Chiradzulu and Zomba.

This year’s MRCS Flag Week is commemorated under the theme ‘Keeping Humanity Alive’, which Majiya said reflects the selfless efforts of its volunteers who are usually the first to alive on the disaster scene and the last to leave.