Written by Chimwemwe Mphande
Malawi Red Cross Society (MRCS) Thursday gave out cash to over 550 vulnerable families in Machinga to mitigate them from financial impact of Covid 19 pandemic.
The society gave out K15, 000 cash each to vulnerable families from Traditional Authority (TA) Liwonde in Machinga.
During the disbursement of the cash at Group Village Head Nkhuna in the district, National Covid Coordinator for MRCS, Roster Kufandiko said MRCS responded with the cash to cushion vulnerable people living in border districts.
“Due to some Covid-19 restrictions, businesses has been affected and livelihood of vulnerable people mostly in boarder districts has been affected too,” Kufandiko said, adding that MRCS is giving out the cash to relieve impact caused by the pandemic.
He explained that MRCS project targets Covid-19 affected households because their chances of earning a living have been compromised.
“These people are advised to be in isolation and stay at home for a period of time and some are not adhering to isolation advice because they don’t have food to feed their families,” Kufandiko said.
He, therefore, expressed hope that the MRCS Covid-19 response project will encourage the affected households to follow preventive measures that are set to prevent transmission.
“We also targeted the elderly, disabled and other vulnerable groups because the disease has increased the severity of their vulnerability,” added Kufandiko.
MRCS Covid-19 response is targeting 3,150 beneficiaries in border districts of Karonga, Mangochi, Machinga and Ntcheu. K200 million will be used to support vulnerable families in the four districts for the first two months.
One of the beneficiaries 50 year old Enelesi Twayini from Mpasuka Village Traditional Authority (TA) Liwonde commended MRCS saying the gesture was timely as she will use the money to feed her six member household as part of the cash will help to revamp her small scale business.
“My family has been greatly affected by the pandemic. I used to sale food at a school but I can’t do business because schools are closed,” she said.
She added that life has also been tough because she did not harvest enough food this year because of fall army worms.
“I am very thankful to receive the cash and this will solve some of my problems,” said Twayini.
MRCS is supporting vulnerable families in the four districts with financial support from International Federation of the Red Cross and Icelandic Red Cross.
 Thursday gave out cash to over 550 vulnerable families in Machinga to mitigate them from financial impact of Covid 19 pandemic. The…){kind=link}