The Swiss Embassy has announced two grants worth US$550,000 (over K560 million) to address the immediate humanitarian needs resulting from Tropical Cyclone Freddy’s devastating impacts and nationwide cholera outbreaks.
The US$550,000 assistance is part of Switzerland’s assistance to help the people of Malawi in collaboration with the Government to recover from Tropical Cyclone Freddy and the cholera emergency.
Through these grants, split equally between the Swiss Red Cross and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) – Switzerland will partner with the Government of Malawi to deliver urgently needed health and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) supplies and protection.
“Switzerland is committed to supporting the people of Malawi during these difficult times,” said the Swiss Ambassador, Stéphane Rey.
“We are committed to working with the Swiss Red Cross, UNICEF and the Government of Malawi to meet the immediate health and protection needs of vulnerable Malawians, reduce suffering, and ensure families especially children cope with the negative effects brought about by Tropical Cyclone Freddy,” he added.
In southern Malawi and other districts affected by cholera, Switzerland is partnering the Swiss Red Cross to bolster WASH services, including the deployment of a Swiss expert in the sector to provide technical support through a secondment arrangement.
Switzerland is also partnering UNICEF to provide lifesaving essential drugs and supplies to reduce the suffering of vulnerable populations (especially women and children) from diseases associated with lack of proper shelter, health services, poor nutrition as well as lack of access to clean and safe water.
UNICEF will also provide helpline service awareness and feedback sessions in displacement centres and deliver a minimum package of protection services for women and children.
The grants support come in response to President H.E. Lazarus Chakwera’s declaration of disaster and the United Nations’ flash appeal for funding for assistance to Malawians affected by flooding and cholera.
In addition to providing humanitarian assistance, Switzerland supports a food security and resilience programme that enables smallholder farmers to adapt to climate change through access to weather-based insurance, livelihoods diversification, microcredit, and savings.
In Malawi, floods and mudslides caused by Cyclone Freddy left over 600 people dead and about 600,000 displaced.
Since March last year, Malai has recorded 58,238 Cholera cases and 1,746 cases.
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