Gift of the Givers Foundation reaches out to Karonga flood victims
The Gift of the Givers Foundation has distributed relief food to flood victims in Malawi’s northern border district of Karonga.
The district was affected by floods which washed away their foodstuffs and household goods.
Most of the houses were also damaged leaving over 1,000 people homeless with no food.
Responding to the disaster, Gift of the Givers Foundation has distributed 1000 bags of maize flour to the displaced families valued at K1.2 million.
The Foundation’s Malawi Chapter Chairman, Abdul Gaffar Jakhura said his organization decided to donate the maize flour to support the affected families, especially children who are not able to go to school due to hunger as their food has been lost during the floods.
“As Gift of Givers, we are aware that the people had planted their maize which has been washed away. So we thought of giving them some maize flour to enable them look after their families,” Jakhura told Nyasa Times.
He said the Foundation is determined to bring hope to the affected families through the distribution of relief items to enable them live a normal life again.
In most places the situation is still dire. There has been massive crop destruction which has led to food insecurity.
The absence of clean drinking water is now posing a danger of cholera, malaria and diarrhea.
Sella Mwaliyambwire, a 40 year old lady of five children from Mwenitete Village in TA Kyungu’s area lost all her household goods including food stuffs.
Her house collapsed and lost all her property in the process as a result of the floods.
“We were fast asleep at around 12 midnight and while we were in our sleep we heard people screaming outside. When we woke up to check what was happening, we saw water coming from the direction of North Rukuru and in no time our house tousled to a wreckage losing our house and other properties in the process,” she narrated.
“We are stranded as we don’t know what to do; we don’t have food, clothes and a house to sleep in. My children are not going to school due to lack of food and clothes, problems are all over us,” she said.
Gift of the Givers Foundation was the first Non-Governmental Organization to come to the rescue of the people of Karonga.
Village Headman Mwenitete commended Gift of the Givers for the kind gesture rendered to his people at the time they needed the support most.
“As you can see here, most houses have collapsed, as a chief I am imploring the well-wishers to come to our rescue, we are at risk of catching cholera and other waterborne diseases as there is no hygiene as a result of water contamination since the floods also washed away toilets.
The District Commissioner for Karonga, Emmanuel Bembe thanked Gift of the Givers Foundation for the timely assistance of maize flour and asked other organizations to respond to the victims of the floods with support ranging from foodstuffs, farm inputs, blankets, water purifiers so that the people can live a normal life again.
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