Muslim Association of Malawi (MAM) is walking its talk to continue helping government through the distribution of relief food to people who were displaced by floods in some parts of the country.
Recent beneficiaries were 2900 flood victims in Salima who are currently seeking shelter at Lifidzi Primary School, Traditional Authority Pemba in the district, and received 25 Kilograms of maize each from the Muslims mother body.
In February this year, heavy rains left over 600 families homeless and in dire need of food and other basic necessities in the area, prompting President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika to call on all Non-governmental organisations, faith organisations and individuals to assist the victims.
As they usually do, MAM responded quickly to the government’s call by donating over 300 bags of maize to the displaced families in Salima among other districts.
The relief programme is just a continuation of the relief project which started in 2015 where MAM with funding from Kuwait-based Revival of Islamic Heritage – African Continent Committee, pledged to compliment Malawi government’s efforts in assisting people who were affected with floods and or disaster.
MAM said they realized that government cannot do alone and being a faith organisation, it is incumbent upon them to make sure that they help the government in any way they can.
So far, billions of kwachas have been spent since the launch of the project with Chikwawa getting the lions share. However, MAM has tried to reach almost every area affected with drought or floods.
“It is our responsibility to help the people of Malawi who are facing different challenges regardless of their religious background. We may differ in beliefs but we are all equal in the eyes of God. Where government can’t do alone, we are there and we will always be there,” said MAM’s Secretary
General Alhajj Twaibu Lawe.
In his remarks, Traditional Authority Pemba thanked MAM for the “timely assistance” saying it will make a lot of difference to the victims.
“We are very grateful to MAM for the very timely assistance they have provided to us and we are appealing other well-wishers to also do the same.
There are over 600 families that are affected and they are in dire need of food and other assistance,” T/A Pemba told Malawi Muslims Official Website.
Saini John from the office of District Commissioner, who is also a member of District Civil Protection Committee (DCPC), said the situation in the area is a bit tricky.
He said the DC’s office has been trying its best to avoid such situations by putting different mechanisms of alerting people in flood prone areas, especially those close to the lake, to relocate to the safer areas.
“However, you can no longer find a free land here to accommodate the flood victims. The owners of the land demand a lot of money to build shelters,” said Mr. John.
The families are supposed to be sent back to their places by 21st March, according to Mr. John. “But we are still discussing because heavy rains are still coming,” he said.
In February this year, MAM also distributed relief food to 1000 and 300 displaced people in Chikwawa and Machinga districts respectively.
Edited by Bashir Amin in Blantyre
