DAPP, FAWEMA donates to Mtandire flood victims
Development Aid from People to People (DAPP) Malawi and Forum for African Women Educationalists-Malawi chapter (FAWEMA) have donated clothes and teaching and learning materials to primary schools and floods victims of Mtandire in Lilongwe.
Hundreds of families from Mtandire living closer to Lingadzi river were left homeless on February, 10 2017 when heavy rains caused the river to flood into their houses and three people were reportedly dead after being swept away by this unprecedented disaster.
Houses collapsed and belongings washed away in the floods forcing 331 victims to temporarily camp at Kamkodola primary school while others sought refuge at nearby churches.
DAPP Malawi and FAWEMA made a joint trip on Tuesday to Mtandire to present their donations in response to call made by the Education Cluster (coordinated by Ministry of Education) to which the two institutions belong as key partners in education sector in the country.
The donation goes to three surrounding primary schools; Kamkodola primary school in Mtandire which has 131 pupils from families affected by the floods as well as Shire and Karonga primary schools in Area 49 that have learners from Mtandire who were affected by the floods.
FAWEMA has donated various teaching and learning materials to be distributed in the three primary schools.
Bales of clothing from DAPP Malawi valued at K795 thousand will be distributed among school going children affected by the floods in all three primary schools as well as to their parents. It is expected that a total of 331 learners will benefit from this donation while 121 male adults and 115 female adults will receive these clothing.
Speaking after making symbolic presentation of the donation at Kamkodola primary school, DAPP Malawi Communications and Promotions Officer, Nozipho Mguquka said flood victims in Mtandire have lost almost everything and they need decent clothes.
“We thought as DAPP it was most viable for us that we support the affected families as well as primary school students with clothing.” she said
Kamkodola primary school head teacher, Mrs. Anastanzia Simon thanked DAPP for providing quality clothing to flood victim pupils at her school and also to FAWEMA for the teaching and learning materials.
“These teaching and learning materials as well as the clothing will assist these leaners in their education” expressed Mrs. Simon
The head teacher also informed officials from DAPP and FAWEMA that heavy rains damaged part of the school fence and that their fellow teacher is temporarily residing at the school’s resource centre after the house he was renting had collapsed following the floods.
Education Cluster lead person, Virginia Kachigunda, who is also Deputy Director for the Department of School Health, Nutrition, HIV and AIDS in the Ministry of Education, hailed two institutions for their donation and expressed hope that these donations will make a big difference.
“This will make a big difference” she assured, “because as you are aware, most of the learners are not coming to school because their teaching and learning materials were washed away, their clothing were washed away. Now they will start coming back to school and that’s what we want as education, we want access to education for all.”
As of now, flood victims in Mtandire whose homes were completely destroyed are living in rented homes after Government closed temporary shelter at Chimbalame Church of Central Africa Presbyterian in the area.
In the week, DAPP Malawi also on Thursday made another donation to 50 girls studying at Malowa CDSS in the area of group village head Ngwena in Salima district. These girls were displaced when heavy rains damaged their hostel last month.
DAPP Malawi is one of the key partner in education sector in Malawi providing teachers for primary schools particularly in rural areas who are graduating from its four teacher training colleges. While, FAWEMA brings together women educationalists in order to support and promote girls and women’s education in Malawi.
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