“We have been going to bed on empty stomachs, not knowing where the next meal will come from,” says Lonely Maganga from Chifenthe village, T/A Dambe in Neno District, whose family has for weeks struggled with hunger, and the uncertainty of finding food made every day a battle.
The hunger did not only affected her family’s health but also her children’s education as this automatically mean absenteeism from school. “My children were often too weak to attend school. Some days they would stay home because they had nothing to eat, and it broke my heart to see them suffer like that,” she explains, her voice trembling.
However, she can now afford a smile as Partners in Health (PIH) has stepped in to provide life-saving support to 3,000 of the most vulnerable households in the District. Each household received 50kg of maize, 3kg of beans, 1kg of salt, 1 litre of cooking oil, and K15,000 in cash.
Speaking at the distribution launch on Tuesday, PIH Executive Director Basimenye Nhlema, said the K1.2 billion relief package, which runs from January through March 2026, targets families left out of government distributions, with special attention to households with members enrolled in healthcare programs.
“Many households in Neno were left without enough food. While government distributions reached some families, thousands were still struggling. Our support focuses on households with members on HIV, TB, and mental health treatment programs, as well as pregnant and lactating women, because food insecurity seriously affects their health,” she said.
Neno District Commissioner Alfred Hauya described the hunger situation as “extremely severe,” noting that poor rains during the cropping season left many families without harvests.
“Government has already reached nearly 16,000 households, and this relief will assist an additional 3,000. Their support is vital, though much more is needed to meet the needs of the district,” Hauya said.
District Council Chairperson Joseph Chiphaliwali urged beneficiaries to use the assistance carefully.
