In the aftermath of devastating floods that left thousands of households in Dwangwa, Nkhotakota district destitute, Illovo Sugar Malawi’s Dwangwa estate has reaffirmed its dedication to supporting and sustaining the local population.
Speaking on Tuesday at Ngala Lakeland School evacuation camp during a donation of MWK220 million worth maize floor to flood survivors, General Manager of the estate, MaClean Debwe expressed concern that about 2,340 families were affected by the floods.
Debwe said as an entity working within Dwangwa community, they were prompted to support the affected communities after the resilience and hard work of the community members who typically provide for themselves without external aid.
“We trust that the beneficiaries of the donation will ensure the maize flour is used for the intended purposes of ensuring that the affected families have adequate food during this challenging time,” Debwe said.
Victor Chithabwa, the Director of Human Resources and Administration at Nkhotakota District Council, commended Illovo Sugar Malawi for its prompt and essential support, recognizing the critical need for food items among those in the camps.
He highlighted the council’s efforts to facilitate the relocation of flood survivors back to their homes, noting the importance of timely action to prevent further hardships and health risks associated with overcrowded camps.
“We are still pleading with our Senior Traditional Authorities for the issue of land demarcation to make sure that we relocate these people in good time. Otherwise, staying at the camp for a long time may bring other inconveniences as we know there is congestion. Failure to relocate them in good time might lead to outbreaks such as Cholera,” he said.
In his words,John Manda, Relief and Rehabilitation Officer for the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) responsible for Nkhotakota District Council, reiterated the government’s commitment to assisting with the relocation process.
He outlined plans to support both business-oriented individuals and those returning to their original homes with transportation and starter packs to rebuild their lives.
“As for business-oriented people, we have a package from our partners Malawi Red Cross Society, and we are going to support them so that when they relocate to their business places, they should have a starter pack. There are others who just wanted to relocate to their original homes as they just come here for piece works. For such people, we are going to provide them with transport and a starter pack to start off new life wherever they are going to relocate to,” Manda said.
One of the survivors Stanford Boyazi from Kakuyu village expressed gratitude to Illovo Sugar Malawi’s ongoing support, emphasizing the company’s role as a steadfast neighbour in times of crisis.
Also speaking during the donation, Senior Group Chalemba of Senior Chief Kanyenda echoed Boyazi’s sentiments, praising Illovo as a consistent source of hope and calling for stringent penalties against those who exploit relief efforts.
Over 3,000 people are seeking shelter at Ngala Lakeland school camp following the floods which hit the lakeshore district in February this year rendering over 7,000 households destitute.
Illovo Sugar Malawi donated 4,000 bags of 50kgs maize floor which will benefit Ngala Lakeland, Matiki and Ntavuwu camps with each household receiving one bag.
