Malawi gets K8.3bn boost on humanitarian aid

The Malawi government has secured over US$17million (about K8.3 billion) that will assist close to 700,000 food insecure people across the southern African country.

The assistance has been secured through the Department of Disaster and Management Affairs which is under the Office of Vice President Saulos Chilima.

A statement from the Vice President’s Press Officer Pilirani Phiri indicates that the assistance will be in form of food aid and cash transfers in two chunks – under the World Food Programme WFP and International Non Governmental Organizations (INGOs) Consortium.

Government through the Department of Disaster Management Affairs and the WFP will shortly launch the 2014/15 Humanitarian Response Programme to assist the 640,009 insecure people who have been identified by the Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee.

A total of US$10.9 million has been pooled under WFP and a targeted 121,165 beneficiaries will get the assistance through cash transfers while 273,939 will be through food distribution.

Under this component the United States Agency International Development – USAID-has contributed US$7 million, WFP has pumped in US$ 600,000 while UK’s Department for International Development – DfID –has injected in US$3.4 million.

The NGO consortium, which has pooled together a total of US$6.12 million, and will target 244,905 beneficiaries, has Irish Aid committing in 1 million Pound, Norway 3.4 million Pound while Save the Children has contributed US$400,000.

Principal Secretary in the Department of Disaster Management Affairs, Paul Chiunguzeni said they acknowledge the donors’ support.

“As government we are thankful to them for ensuring that our pro-active approach to save the situation by securing assistance for the most vulnerable people becomes meaningful,” he said.

The humanitarian response will be implemented through material and cash transfers through NGOs and District Councils.