By Staff Reporter

Oldies 70s Connection Lilongwe Chapter, a grouping of men and women born between 1970 and 1979; on Thursday donated 19 sacks and 36 cartons of assorted clothes and shoes to people affected by Tropical Storm ANA.

Speaking at Capital Hill, Lilongwe during the handover ceremony of the donation, the group’s Vice Treasurer Hannah Ngulinga said as a responsible group, they thought of reaching out to people who were affected by ANA.

“We collected assortments of clothes and shoes for men, women and children from members. We also collected some items from a Lumbadzi-based philanthropic organisation headquartered in the United States of America.

“We thought of handing over the donation to DoDMA (Department of Disaster Management Affairs) for you are better placed to know the existing gaps and direct the donation to rightful beneficiaries,” said Ngulinga.

In his remarks, DoDMA’s Deputy Director responsible for Preparedness Fedson Chikuse, who coincidentally; is also a member of the Oldies 70s Connection, commended the group for the kind gesture.

“It is encouraging that as Malawians, we are able to assist one another in times of need. As a people, we shouldn’t be waiting for foreign donors. Whatever we donate can make a difference and I commend the group for mobilising themselves and make this donation,” said Chikuse.

The group, which was formed in March 2019, sprouted from Cape Town-based founder Diana Ngulinga’s idea of connecting with friends born in the 70s. Since its formation, it has been engaged in a number of charitable works aimed at assisting the less privileged.

Among other means, the group connects through social gatherings and social media platforms such as Facebook and WhatsApp.