Survivors of Cyclone Freddy from Phalombe and Nsanje districts are expected to benefit from social cash transfer programme which ActionAid Malawi has launched in response to the disaster which has killed hundreds and displaced thousands of people.
One thousand households from both districts are expected to benefit from the programme which will see each household going away with K60, 000.
In an interview, the organisation’s board’s Chairperson Dorothy Nampota said the money is meant to enable the households get some basic needs and she added that the organisation will be coming with more responses.
“As you know we are always closer to people, we’ve brought this programme which will see 500 households of which many are those headed by children and women in Phalombe benefiting from the programme and we’ll also be coming with more responses,” she said.
In his remarks, Minister of Natural Resources and Climate Change, Michael Usi, applauded the organisation for the initiative but he warned people who are taking advantage of the situation and steal from the survivors that they will be punished.
“As government we’re very grateful for this initiative which will see a lot of households being assisted in this time as survivors need a lot of necessities.
“However, those taking advantage of this situation and are stealing relief items need to be punished once caught, ” said the Minister.
One of the survivors, Esime Malata, whose life was saved by long grasses after she was swept away by flooding water commended ActionAid Malawi for the gesture but she further appealed for more support in their camps.
“Most of us we’ve stayed days without eating anything as no one was yet to reach us. We are thankful to this organisation that we’ll at least have something to eat tonight. We are facing many problems in the camp such as lack of food. We’re asking for assistance,” she said.
ActionAid Malawi is implementing the programme with funds amounting to Mk70 million.
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