UK provides income relief to Malawi families affected by remittance from SA due to Covid-19

Malawi is among five countries in the southern Africa to benefit from £7 million (about K7.2 billion) British Government relief fund targeting people affected by  a drop in remittances from South Africa due to coronavirus (Covid-19).

Duddridge: Many low-income families  rely on remittances from family members based in South Africa

A new fund, set up by the FinMark Trust, which will provide income relief to more than 8 000 families in Malawi, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique and Zimbabwe,  was announced in a statement on  Tuesday.

The financial support  will also provide much-needed essential services and food assistance to almost 750 000 people, including 14,000 households and nearly half a million migrants who have been adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

UK government acknowledged that the southern Africa region has been hard-hit by a prolonged drought and the COVID-19 pandemic has further deepened the food insecurity situation – 18 million people across Southern Africa are at risk of hunger for the remainder of this year.

Many low-income families in the Southern Africa region rely on remittances from family members based in South Africa. Estimates indicate that there are up to 3.7 million migrants from Southern African countries living in South Africa, sending R21.9 billion (approximately £1 billion) annually to family members back home.

An average of £15 per month will be provided to families affected by lost income from remittances, helping people meet immediate needs like food, rent and school fees. The UK is anchoring the the FinMark Trust fund with £500,000 in two tranches.

In a statement, James Duddridge MP, UK Minister for Africa, said: “For many communities across Southern Africa, the COVID-19 pandemic is not only a health emergency – it is also damaging livelihoods and exacerbating food shortages. The support the UK is providing will help families in crisis across Southern Africa – many of whom are female-led households – improving access to COVID-19 information and basic services, and protecting livelihoods.

“UK action to support the flow of remittances will help those most vulnerable to the economic fallout of COVID-19 across Southern Africa to access the necessary money to meet their immediate needs.”

CEO of FinMark Trust , Brendan Pearce, said families across Southern Africa rely heavily on remittances.

Amongst such families, the economic fallout of COVID-19 has hit the vulnerable particularly hard, especially women and children.

“The Southern Africa COVID-19 Remittance Relief Fund has been established to bring much-needed support to these communities. We are working in partnership with financial service providers across the region to make sure that this money reaches those most in need as quickly as possible,” he said.

For Malawi, the implementing partners are International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and Finmark Trust.

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Melvin
Melvin
3 years ago

Wait a minute. What’s a catch? Reading this article makes me ponder on so many questions. Having lived in the UK for nearly 20 years, we all know these people are very calculative and manipulative, and will not dare to get involved into any unprofitable endeavours. The UK government giving away free money? You must be kidding me, it is impossible. Undisputably, the UK is trying to buy us into unconsciously give in to some of their agendas that are soon to come. “Zolowere mkudyere mwana”. I am saying this because the British government, as far as I know it,… Read more »

THE CITIZEN!!!!!
THE CITIZEN!!!!!
3 years ago

CHINA CANT DO THIS….BUT IT IS HEALIVY BENEFITTING FROM TRADE WITH SOUTH AFRICA…

Law Abiding SAn
Law Abiding SAn
3 years ago

Since you mentioning SA and China trade maybe you must read widely to be informed.

Right at the beginning of South Africa’s surge in the pandemic, China gave SA donations of PPE, money and shared information on how it had dealt with the pandemic.

With regards to how the UK is offering aid to Malawi that’s good and their prerogative and the same can be said about China on which country they provide support to.

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