Malawi: District Commissioner for Blantyre, Alex Mdooko has announced that 46,311 households in Blantyre will receive relief maize. The households arealso poised to recieve MK70,000 cash for their assistance in the food crisis.
The donations will be made through government Social Cash Transfer Programmes (SCTP) and Climate Smart Enhance Public Works Programmes (CS-EPWP). The community members have been looking forward to this development.
The officials have shared that the announcement for the donation was made during a monitoring tour on Monday. District Commissioner for Blantyre, Alex Mdooko made the remarks at Majombe and Undan villages at Traditional Authority Kapeni in Blantyre.
The official said that large numbers of recipients were assembled to receive the maize in the traditional authority. The government is dedicated to making sure that they can provide basic assistance like food to the most vulnerable.
The District Commissioner added that as one way of addressing food insecurity among seven Traditional Authorities of Blantyre, government is obliged to continue distributing relief maize for six months.
“The government is prioritising districts that require relief food so that large populations receive support through various ways like maize relief among others. Am assuring people that within six months all targeted populations will receive the support,” said Mdooko.
One of the recipients of the relief maize at Majombe, Femiya Malikebu, commended government for the quick response saying the relief maize came at a right time where most households resorted to eat things that were not worthy eating while others depended on mangoes.
“Most of us go to sleep without eating any food as such the support will really address food challenges which we are facing. I really appreciate the support,” she added.
With funds from World Food Programmes (WFP) government distributes relief maize on top of providing cash amounting to MK3.2 billion to vulnerable households as part of response to food insecurity.
The support of the international organizations will help several communities address the worst of their food crisis.