By Burnett Munthali
BLANTYRE — The Jane Ansah Foundation has extended humanitarian assistance to Laina Chamveka Phiri and her family in Chimwankhunda, Blantyre, providing essential supplies and financial support to ease the hardships facing the household.
The intervention took place on Monday, August 31, 2026, when representatives of the Foundation visited the family’s home with blankets, maize flour, sugar, soap, food supplies and cash assistance.
For Laina, the support comes after years of living with mobility difficulties. Her family says her condition began in July 2017, prompting efforts to seek medical and rehabilitative assistance.
She attended physiotherapy sessions at Kachere Rehabilitation Centre during 2017 and 2018, but her relatives said the hoped-for improvement in her mobility did not materialise.
The situation has placed additional pressure on the family because Laina is a mother with children who depend on her for care and support.
Her elder sister described the difficulties the family has encountered while trying to care for Laina and ensure that her children are also looked after.
“Laina has children who depend on her, and the situation has made life very difficult for her and the entire family,” she said.
The family’s appeal for assistance eventually reached the Jane Ansah Foundation after Bernadeta Chamveka Phiri sought help through contacts associated with the organisation.
The Foundation subsequently responded by arranging a visit to the family’s home and providing material and financial assistance.
Speaking after receiving the donation, Laina’s elder sister said the intervention had brought relief to a family that had struggled to secure support.
“We are personally and particularly very thankful for the kind gesture. We did not have any support for my young sister, but now we have received blankets, food items, maize flour, sugar, soap and money. May God bless the Jane Ansah Foundation for the support,” she said.
She appealed for the support to continue and encouraged the Foundation to consider assisting other Malawian families facing similar hardships.
“If possible, the Foundation should come again and also reach out to other struggling families in this country,” she said.
Jane Ansah Foundation Director of Operations Lewis Kamundi said the organisation would continue its humanitarian work by reaching out to vulnerable people and families across Malawi.
Kamundi said families caring for persons with disabilities often encounter barriers when trying to access essential resources and support services, making community assistance an important part of promoting dignity and inclusion.
He said the Foundation remains committed to identifying households and individuals in need and providing assistance where possible.
The Chimwankhunda intervention highlights the role humanitarian organisations can play in supporting vulnerable families, particularly households caring for persons with disabilities while also struggling to meet basic daily needs.
