Gift of the Givers donate K17.6m relief items

Gift of the Givers Foundation  has donated K17.6 million worth of assorted relief items to 1 000 families affected by this year’s floods in traditional authorities (T/As) Ndamera, Nyachikhadza and Chimombo in Nsanje District.

The items, which include foodstuffs, clothes, kitchen utensils, water purification sachets and plastic sheeting materials, will support the families to recover from the disaster.

Speaking on Wednesday during the event, the organisation’s senior programmes manager Sherifa Mia said they wanted to lessen the people’s suffering.

“The people lost their houses during the disaster, so the roofing materials will help them build new shelters,” she said.

On his part, Nsanje district commissioner Dr. Medson Matchaya said the relief items will support the survivors as they recover from the disaster.

“However, I appeal for more support as the floods affected 6 898 households, but only 1 000 have been assisted,” he said.

Matchaya said the survivors are likely to face hunger as the floods destroyed their crops.

One of the beneficiaries from T/A Ndamera, Zitu Dickson, said he lost everything during the disaster and life has been hard.

Another beneficiary, Aida Chitengu from Mphampha Village, T/A Chimombo said the floods swept away her goats.

“I am now working hard to pick up the broken pieces of my life,” she said.

However, Nyachikadza Area Civil Protection Committee chairperson Shadreck Nyantondolo encouraged people to grow crops during the winter season.

“We are just waiting for water in the Shire River to subside to start growing crops,” he said.

Gift of the Givers Foundation has also reached out to 3 800 affected families in Balaka, Mangochi, Machinga, Phalombe, Ntcheu and Salima districts.