By Emmanuel Moyo
Malawi Red Cross Society (MRCS) has on Saturday disbursed cash relief to community members that were affected by strong winds in Traditional Authorities Kilupula and Kyungu in Karonga District with a call to make proper use so as to get back to normal life.
The donation saw 245 community members receiving cash ranging from K26, 000 to K65, 000 based on findings of assessment conducted in the district on effects of the strong winds to the households.
National Restoring Family Links (RFL) Officer in the department of disaster at MRCS, Steven Seleman, said MRCS saw it necessary to provide assistance and called on the communities to use the money properly.
We saw it important to provide assistance to people that have been struck by disasters and we urge the recipients to make sure that they use the money to buy materials so that they rebuild houses that were damaged during the disaster, it is pitiful to see people getting money and use on other issues, he said.
He has since pointed out that MRCS expects people to be able to rebuild and repair their houses and pleaded with them to plant trees to reduce the effect of strong winds and consider moving to safer areas.
People living in disaster prone areas should move to higher places, they should also consider planting trees around their areas to make sure that the strong winds do not come with force to destroy their houses, he said.
District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer, Shepherd Jere, hailed MRCS for the support provided to community members who were affected by the strong winds.
As a council, we are very grateful for the support, we believe the assistance will help the affected households to maintain and rebuild the houses that were damaged and live a normal life again, he said.
Jere added that as a council, they are engaging communities, warning them about how the weather will be and through committees on the ground they are able to share information with community members.
On her part, one of the recipients, Beauty Mwangolera, thanked MRCS for supporting them financially saying the assistance is timely and of great significance.
We are very thankful to MRCS because the strong winds really pulled us from living normal life but with this support which has come in time, we will get back to normal life after maintaining our houses, she said.
On January 16th, the area of Traditional Authority Kilupula was hit by strong winds rendering some household affected.
MRCS injected cash amounting to K10, 800 000 with financial support from European Union Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection (ECHO) and Malawi Government to make sure that people in the District are assisted.
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