By Chisomo Phiri

Through his “Tigwirane Manja” campaign launched last month, President Lazarus Chakwera has today donated K120 million and 20 bales of blankets to the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DODMA) to help those who were adversely affected by Cyclone Freddy in the southern region.

‘Tigwirane Manja’ is a nationwide humanitarian mechanism fashioned to bring relief to those adversely affected by Cyclone Freddy.

Speaking at Kamuzu Palace during the handover ceremony, President Chakwera called on people and organizations to continue helping the communities affected by Cyclone Freddy.

“What Freddy has done is nothing short of devastation. It will take years to reconstruct what has been damaged. Any recovery or reconstruction will require that we all work together to move toward a future that is more prepared for the climate shocks we will undoubtedly face going forward,” he said.

He said the part of money he has donated comes from his Presidential Charity Initiative Committee which was realized during the Presidential Golf Tournament fundraiser that was held on October 8, 2022 and raised K280 million Kwacha.

On her part, representative of one of the companies that participated in Presidential Golf Tournament, Maureen Kachingwe, Head of Legal and Company Secretary for Illovo said their company will continue to work hand in hand with government and the President to help in emergencies like these, as well as in other occurences that need help.

“We will continue to work with the government and other officials until all the victims of Cyclone Freddy are fully rehabilitated and have moved on with their lives. We give you assurance that we will hold hands with you in this and more endeavors,” said Kachingwe.

Kachingwe thanked the President for ensuring that companies are given a conducive environment in which they work, through which they are able to contribute effectively to the community.

Vizenge Kumwenda, the Presidential Charity Initiative Committee Chairperson also thanked the President for giving this gift and said that what the Malawi leader has done shows good leadership.

“Your action serves as a reminder that leadership is about serving others,” he said.

DODMA Commissioner Charles Kalemba, who received the money and blankets on behalf of his organization, said the funds will go a long way to alleviate the suffering of the affected families.

Currently, there are more than 750 camps across the Southern Region where more than 143,000 households are being kept after their houses, crops, and businesses were destroyed by floods.