The Department of Disaster Risk Management in Neno District has expressed satisfaction at how the 2025-2026 lean season Relief Food beneficiaries are managing the food, with zero cases of sale of relief items reported.
This comes as the district is currently facing a severe hunger crisis, with 15,890 households identified as hunger-stricken, and many more expected to be at risk in the coming months.
Neno District Council Disaster Risk Management Officer, Amos Chandilanga, made the remarks today when the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) was distributing 1,200 bags of maize to beneficiaries of Donda and Chidakwani villages under the area of Traditional Authority Chekucheku.
Chandilanga said with farmers yet to harvest and hunger being at its peak, no sane beneficiary would sell their packages, hence hailing the households who are putting the items to intended use.
A beneficiary, Livester Litchowa, said with the hunger situation still rocking many households due to previous years’ dry spells, they are seriously putting the donation to its intended purpose, grateful for the timely intervention.
The district is not alone in this struggle, as a nationwide assessment by the Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee (MVAC) puts 4.1 million households at risk of hunger during the 2025-2026 farming season, highlighting the severity of the country’s food security situation.
The distribution of relief food is a welcome respite for many families in Neno, who are struggling to make ends meet in the face of chronic food shortages.
As the country grapples with the challenges of drought and hunger, the success of relief efforts like this one in Neno District offers a glimmer of hope for those affected, and underscores the importance of continued support for vulnerable communities.
The government and humanitarian partners are urged to scale up their response to the hunger crisis, as many more families are expected to be at risk in the coming months.
In the meantime, residents of Neno District are counting their blessings, grateful for the relief food that is helping them survive the lean season.
