Food-insecure communities in Machinga District have commended government for reaching out to them with relief maize and money to buy food during the lean season.
The Malawi Government launched the Lean Season Food Insecurity Response Programme in October last year to reach out to at least 5.7 million food-insecure people in the country.
Under the initiative, some districts received maize between October and December while others started receiving the staple grain from January to March.
However, some beneficiaries in Machinga, who were supposed to receive maize between October and December, started receiving it last month.
The beneficiaries received a bag of maize for three months and K70 000.
Speaking on Thursday during a media tour, 86-year-old Fatima Sailes from Kwilasya Village, Traditional Authority (T/A) Nsanama said she and her four grandchildren resorted to surviving on boiled vegetables due to food shortages.
“My grandchildren stopped going to school. But after receiving the maize and the money, they returned to school. This support came at the right time,” she said.
Another beneficiary, Leonard Mwakhula of Mtila Village in T/A Sitola, said he invested in livestock farming and village savings and loans group.
“I plan to buy iron sheets for my grass-thatched house,” he said.
Another beneficiary with disability, Chifundo Goodson, 84, from T/A Nsanama, said the initiative gave him a lifeline.
“I rely on help from well-wishers. This food and money helped me to survive,” she said.
Machinga district social welfare officer responsible for Social Cash Transfer Programme Daniel Zidana expressed satisfaction with the programme’s implementation.
“The programme has been crucial in providing relief to families struggling with food shortages due to drought. It has ensured that vulnerable households have access to food and other essentials,” he said.
