Cyclone Freddy survivors responses: Umodzi Holdings, Tobacco Commission
As part of its response to the national disasters caused by Cyclone Freddy in Southern Region, Umodzi Park and the Tobacco Commission have donated assorted relief items worth K10 million each to the survivors in Blantyre.
Umodzi Park package includes blankets, maize flour, plastic buckets, bed sheets, towels and soya pieces and speaking during the donation at Ntenjera and Chilapenda Primary Schools in Lunzu Ward, Umodzi Holdings and Park chairman, John Robson Kamanga said their response is part of their social corporate responsibility to reach out to survivors of the disaster.
“As one of the players in the hospitality industry, we thought of putting together assorted relief items to assist the survivors of cyclone Freddy,” he said.
Almost 150 households have been reached out with the assistance and Kamanga said they decided to take part in the initiative, which was launched by President Lazarus Chakwera to share the pain and suffering together with the affected people.
Ntenjela Primary school alone has 112 survivors comprising 73 women and 39 men.
Statistics from the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) has indicated that in the Southern Region, Cyclone Freddy has claimed 476 lives, 490,000 displaced while 349 people are still missing.
On its part, the Tobacco Commission presented its K10 million to DODMA and at the handover of the cheque on Monday in Lilongwe, TC Commissioner, Senior Chief Inkosi Mabulabo said they just had to come in solidarity to assist those affected by the cyclone.
“As a commission, we have come in to render a hand through this donation so that it can assist some of the affected people,” he said, adding that the disaster has affected every sector in the society as some people who have been affected are farmers.
DoDMA deputy director for disaster response, Fwyaupi Mwafongo commended the commission for the timely assistance, saying: “The donation will go a long way in addressing the critical needs like food and shelter among others.”
Mwafongo, thus appealed for more support to reach out to the needy in camps.
