Teachers and extension workers in Nsanje District have asked organisations implementing disaster response initiatives to include them in the list of beneficiaries.
A teacher from Mpatsa Primary School Dester Kautuka made the call on Tuesday at Nyamadzere Teacher Development Centre during a meeting that Development Communications Trust organised ahead of the rainy season.
He said: “When Cyclone Freddy happened in March 2023, teachers at Mpatsa Primary School in Traditional Authority [T/A) Tengani were affected as their houses and property were destroyed.
“Yet, the response only targeted community members. They said we were not eligible as we are employed by the government.”
A child protection worker Felix Mkunga from T/A
Ndamera said despite losing property to disasters in different years, he was not listed as a beneficiary during response.
In response, Nsanje district commissioner Dominic Mwandira asked area disaster risk management committees to consider teachers and extension workers as beneficiaries.
According to Development Communications Trust programmes manager Zione Mayaya-Mkanda, the meeting was organised to lobby support for teachers during disasters.
She said: “We have established that teachers and other civil servants such as healthcare workers and extension workers are not included in response as the disaster management policy is silent.
“Therefore, there is need for advocacy for the modification of the policy to include special contingency for teachers and other front line workers.”
Development Communications Trust with its partner Unicef is implementing Promoting Continuity of Learning During Drought and Other Crises Project in the district.
