Joshua Orphan and Community Care (Joshua Organisation) on Tuesday handed over ten houses to families affected by floods that hit the country early this year in the area of Traditional Authority (T/A) Machinjiri in Blantyre.
Speaking during the handover ceremony at Kaliati village, the organisation’s Country Manager, Lusungu Ngulube, said the ten houses have cost them K13 million (about $20000).
He further said the organisation is constructing 30 more houses and will to be completed by end of January next year.
“Our response to the floods was threefold. We first distributed blankets, food, clothing, plastic sheeting and sanitation items. Then we distributed cassava seedlings and potato vines t0 1100 families. The last part of the response involved training of 30 local artisans in low cost stringer rural housing and house building for the most vulnerable,” he said.
One of the beneficiaries, 65 year old Martha Stuart, expressed joy at the two-bedroom house. She said her house was destroyed by heavy rains in February and has been seeking refuge at her son’s house.
During construction of the houses, the organisation provides iron sheets, bricks and stipend for artisans while beneficiaries contribute sand and water.
