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Red Cross supports 635 Cyclone Chido survivors

 Malawi Red Cross Society has disbursed money to 635 households affected by Cyclone Chido in Phalombe District to enhance their recovery efforts.

The society gave each household K100 000 during a ceremony on Monday in the district.

Kunyenga helps a beneficiary count her money. | Andrew Mtupanyama

In his remarks, Red Cross director of programmes and development Gloria Kunyenga said they implemented the K120 million initiative with funding from the Danish Red Cross.

She said: “When we received that money, we started implementing anticipatory action because of the weather forecast the Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services released.

“We used the information to prepare communities to reduce the negative impact of Cyclone Chido in the districts where we were expecting the cyclone to hit.”

Kunyenga said when Cyclone Chido landed in the affected districts, the society, in conjunction with government departments and other organisations, conducted an assessment to see the extent of the damage.

“We gave the survivors money to buy materials to repair their houses,” she said.

Kunyenga also said the society will reach out to other survivors in Balaka, Blantyre, Zomba and Kasungu with a similar intervention.

One of the beneficiaries, Estere Nachamba, from Tamani Village, Traditional Authority Jenala, said her house collapsed and she moved to a temporary shelter.

Another beneficiary, Godfrey Banda, from Mileme Village said he will use the money to buy timber, nails and plastic sheet to repair the roof that was blown off during the storm.

Cyclone Chido landed in the country in December 2024

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