Tobacco Processors Association donates K43 million items to flood victims
Tobacco Processors Association (TPA), a grouping of four tobacco buying companies in the country has donated relief items worth K43 million which will help people affected by floods on Chisi Island in Zomba.
TPA which consists of Limbe Leaf Tobacco Company Limited,(Limbe Leaf), Japan Tobacco International (JTI, Alliance One and Premium Tobacco and a United Kingdom based Imperial Tobacco, made the donation to the Department of Disaster and Management Affairs (Dodma) at the Zomba Airwing Base on Thursday.
Company Secretary for TPA Febbie Chikungwa said the association was saddened when they heard about the loss of life and the destruction of property as a result of a tropical cyclone Idai which hits some districts especially in the southern region early March.
“As an association, we pulled our resources together and we raised K44 million. We used K43 million to buy the relief items and the remainder on logistics on getting the items to the flood victims especially those who are on Chisi Island,” said Chikungwa.
“Nobody prepares for a disaster. Those affected by this disaster lost almost all their property and that is why we felt we should help so that they have basic needs as they start rebuilding their lives,” added Chikungwa.
Receiving the donation, Minister of Homeland Security Nicholas Dausi thanked TPA for the donation saying it would not have come at a better time.
“We are thankful to the Tobacco Processors Association for this donation. It is a huge donation and it is coming at a time when people affected by the floods are starting to rebuild their lives again after the floods. We ask other companies to emulate a good example set by Tobacco processors Association,” said Dausi.
He indicated that the relief items which included food and non-food items namely rice, maize floor, kapenta, beans, likuni phala, milk, cooking oil, blankets, plastic sheets, kitchen utensils and mosquito nets would be airlifted to Chisi Island by Malawi army helicopters.
After the presentation ceremony at the Zomba Airwing Base, officials from TPA, Dodma and journalists flew to the Chisi Island to appreciate how the flood victims were fairing on the ground.
The correct spelling is Phoebe, not Febbie.