Life-Saving Cash for Cyclone Victims
The WFP has provided K150,000 to 9,411 households to help them survive for three months.
PHALOMBE, Malawi - Cash distributions by the World Food Program (WFP) are giving life to cyclone victims in Malawi's Phalombe district, where Cyclone Freddy destroyed crops earlier this year, writes Esther Banda.
The WFP has provided K150,000 to 9,411 households to help them survive for three months.
The total distribution has exceeded K1.4 billion so far.
"This money is like manna from heaven," said 70-year-old Femah Seleman, who cares for two orphans in the village of Madukano.
Before receiving the cash, Seleman said her family was "really starving," surviving only on mangoes day and night.
"I'm going to buy two bags of maize and keep some money for us to survive," Seleman said. "Please WFP, don't stop here. We still need you more."
The cash allows cyclone victims to buy food so their children can return to school, said Rose Ebele, a recipient in Mulera village.
"Most of our children stopped going to school. No one can concentrate in class when they have not eaten anything," Ebele said.
Senior Group Village Headman Nkhulambe said the cash provides temporary relief but farming will take years to restore.
"It will take ages to restore our food basket," he said.
"We never dreamed that we'd be starving and buying food at the market."
The distributions are part of WFP's Lean Season Response to help food insecure households.
"The cash plus livelihood activities will improve people's lives," said WFP Country Director Paul Turnbull.
The British government helped fund the program.
"We need to think creatively about preventing and preparing for climate events," said British High Commissioner Fiona Ritchie.
Malawi needs $680 million to recover from Cyclone Freddy, said Charles Kalemba, disaster management commissioner.
Other donors include Canada, Norway, Germany and the U.S.