Malawi Red Cross Society (MRCS) started disbursing cash and assorted non-food items. The donations reached a total of 947 households that were left destitute by Cyclone Jude.
The exercise was done in Traditional Authority Makhuwira in Chikwawa District on Saturday. The red cross stakeholders have been providing disaster relief support to several families across the nation.
The families in turn express their most sincere gratitude to the organization for thee helping hand. The Head of Disaster Management at the MRCS, Patrick Duncan Phiri was present at the distribution drive. He said at Mitondo School in the district that each of the 947 affected households will receive K70,000 in two instalments.
As such the total amount of support that every household receives for their rehabilitation becomes K140,000. The authorities believe that the support will help
“The household will receive money and soap to help alleviate some of the challenges the households have been facing due to the effects of Cyclone Jude,” added Phiri.
One of the beneficiaries of the donation, 82-year-old Esther Moffat, said the money will help her repair her house and feed her grandchildren for some days and called on well-wishers to assist in any way they can.
Chikwawa District Council, Director of Planning and Development, Jossen Tembo, commended the MRCS for responding to the plight of Cyclone Jude survivors in the district, saying the gesture complements government efforts in providing relief to households that are affected by natural disasters.
The director also appealed to beneficiaries to use the cash for good intentions in line with the MRCS’s wishes. The support money should not be misused as this would defeat the purpose of the donation drive.
The MRCS also responded the same way to survivors in Phalombe and Mulanje with financial assistance from Danish Red Cross. and International Federation of Red Cross, and Red Crescent Societies.
Cyclone Jude came with heavy rainfall early March this year and caused flash floods in the low-lying areas of the Shire Valley, displacing over 2,000 households.