Scottish Government pledges K501m to support cyclone survivors
The Scottish Government has pledged to provide K501 810 742 (£400 000 pounds) to support Tropical Cyclone Freddy survivors.
Scotland First Minister Nicola Sturgeon made the pledge in a letter to President Lazarus Chakwera posted on their website www.gov.scot on Wednesday in which she stated that the Scottish Government is in talks with their partners to see how they can support the survivors.
Reads part of the letter: “We are discussing with partners working on the ground already as to the most effective way that we can provide support for those most in need and will engage Malawian Department of Disaster Management Affairs [Dodma] as we develop the projects.”
Sturgeon said it is heart-wrenching to see the death, the injury and the damage to thousands of people’s houses and livelihoods when Malawi is grappling with the cholera outbreak.
She said Scotland is deeply concerned with such an occurrence and further pledged to ensure that more help is rendered towards the affected households.
Meanwhile, Secretary to the President and Cabinet Colleen Zamba has urged civil servants to support the affected families.
In a letter dated March 23 2023 addressed to all controlling officers, she wrote: “In the spirit of Tigwirane Manja as championed by His Excellency the President, I would like to appeal to all civil servants, except those working in affected districts, to make financial contributions to support affected families.”
Zamba has since proposed that civil servants in grades B and above should donate a minimum of K150 000, grade C K100 000, grade D K50 000, grades E and F K30 000, grades G, H and I K10 000, grades J and K K5 000, grades L and M K2 000 while grades N and below K500.
Charles Kalemba, commissioner for the Department of Disaster Management Affairs, said in an update on Friday that the death toll remains at 511 while those displaced are 563 771 with 577 camps set to accommodate them.
He further anticipated that the national inter-agency assessment team, which has been supporting affected councils with estimates to establish the number of affected people and their immediate needs, would submit its report in good time.
He said: “The data will inform the finalisation of the response plan which the department and partners have been developing.”
Cyclone Freddy made landfall on March 12 with heavy rains that triggered mudslides and floods in some parts of the Southern Region, leading to destruction of property, crops and loss of lives.
