JB Foundation donates relief items to Malawi flood victims

The Joyce Banda Foundation International (JBFI) on Thursday, January 15, 2015, donated assorted relief items to tens of households in Chilobwe Township in Malawi’s commercial capital, Blantyre.

Property and houses worthy millions of Kwacha and lives have been lost there and other parts of the country due to heavy flooding.

Wyson Sumaili, National Director for Youth Movement in Development (YOMODE), a JBFI youth empowerment wing, said the donation followed a directive by JBFI Founder, Joyce Banda, that relief items be immediately dispatched to the area to alleviate the suffering of the people.

The donation is worth MK1 million, according to Sumaili.

“We’re aware that this donation may not be enough to completely lessen the suffering of the victims here. However, we feel that this donation will go a long way to curbing the worsening humanitarian situation here,” Sumaili said, adding JBFI’s donation is primarily a response to the request by Government for relief assistance from local and international well-wishers.

President Peter Mutharika on Tuesday declared the country a State of Disaster. Close to 50 people are confirmed dead due to heavy flooding that had been caused by persistent rainfall. Many others are unaccounted for.

Group Village Headman Chilobwe described the JBFI donation as “timely”, saying the situation in the township is “a desperate one”.

“We wish to thank the Joyce Banda Foundation for their prompt assistance. When the President (Peter Mutharika) declared a State of Disaster, it is JBFI that has been among the very first organizations to come to the people’s rescue,” said the traditional leader.

The Joyce Banda Foundation was founded in 1997 by former President of the Republic of Malawi, Banda. It was established with the core objective of assisting the marginalized of the society.

In her message to the victims of the disaster released on Wednesday, the former President said she was “deeply saddened by the extent of damage to property and loss of lives due to the heavy flooding.”

Banda encouraged all Malawians to unite in helping the victims of this disaster “without regard to political, religious, tribal and racial extraction”.