Chibuku Products donates 200 bags of cement towards construction of new houses for Cyclone Fredy survivors in Thyolo

MP Ben Phiri (right) receiving the cement

* A continuation of the initiative that the company has been doing in reaching out to survivors of Cyclone Freddy

* Also assisted with roof iron sheets, food, kitchen utensils amongst others in Zomba, Blantyre, Chikwawa and Mangochi

By Victor Singano Jnr

Responding to President Lazarus Chakwera’s Tigwirane Manja campaign — that calls for all stakeholders to join hands in contributing towards assisting homeless Cyclone Freddy survivors — Chibuku Products Limited has donated 200 bags of cement worth K3.5 million to Thyolo Central Constituency for construction of low-cost and climate change resilient houses to affected families due to floods induced by the tropical storm.

This is also part of Chibuku Products’ fulfillment of its commitment to social corporate responsibility, as said by Sales & Marketing Manager, Henry Mbweza at the presentation of the support to Thyolo Central Member of Parliament, Ben Phiri.

He said the support is a continuation of the initiative that the company has been doing in reaching out to the survivors of Cyclone Freddy across Malawi since the country experienced disaster in March this year.

Mbweza highlighted that the company has managed to distribute various items which include roof iron sheets, food, kitchen utensils amongst others in most affected areas such as Zomba, Blantyre, Chikwawa and Mangochi but they thought it wise to come up with the cement donation to Thyolo after receiving a plea from the MP Ben Phiri — who had expressed concern with the families who were lacking shelters after losing their houses.

“Chibuku Product believes in supporting people who are going through difficult situations so that they should also feel loved and encouraged as well as have hope for their future,” he said. 

“As such, despite reaching out to many families we decided to consider assisting people of Thyolo Central so that they can build strong houses and get back to their normal lives.”

Legislator Ben Phiri expressed his gratitude for the support  which he said has given them the assurance of fulfilling their plan of  reconstruction of destroyed homes.

The MP lamented that since the Tropical Cyclone Freddy occured, there has been low attention to his area in terms of support as it was sidelined despite recording many displaced people.

He, therefore, thanked Chibuku Products for the cement, saying it will go a long away in assisting building high quality and climate change resilient houses.

“I can confirm here that up until now, I have so many people in my constituency who are lacking food, houses just to mention a few and they have literary nothing to do in order to support themselves.

“This donation will play a big role to us and right now we are assured of building at least 10 model houses while we are searching for other well-wishers to support us so that we can build additional houses for all the remaining families,” he said.

Before the donation of cement, Chibuku Product recently helped the area with refurbishment of hospital ambulances.

Under the Tigwirane Manja initiative, many companies in the private and public sector, non-governmental organisations and other stakeholders are responding to in building climate resilient houses and just on Monday, Football Association of Malawi (FAM) handed over four houses in Chiradzulu.

In 2016, FAM introduced a Charity Shield as kick off to the football season to act as the association’s corporate social responsibility program aimed at engaging, mobilising and inspiring football fans, stakeholders and the public towards a charitable cause of national significance.

Proceeds from the 2023 FAM Charity Shield match between Nyasa Big Bullets and Mighty Wanderers in April, sponsored by NBS Bank — as well as from the Flames Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Egypt which was played at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe — went towards construction of the houses in Chiradzulu.

As part of the package, FAM also presented K50,000 cash to each family and household items such as mattresses, blankets, sugar, bags of maize flour and salt worth K2 million.

The Tigwirane Manja initiative goodwill ambassadors are former President Joyce Banda and Bakili Muluzi who rolled out their campaigns in Phalombe and early last month, Muluzi handed over 17 houses at Mchenga Village, Traditional Authority (TA) Phweremwe.

The project was made possibly through support from UK-based Nigerian, Dozy Mmobuosi, who is providing K500 million for the construction of 45 houses in the district and accompanied Muluzi to the handover ceremony.

Muluzi disclosed that Mmobuosi has also committed to provide beds, mattresses and furniture for the households and also to bring solar electricity in the area.

Mmobuosi also pledged to bring back the economy of people of Mchenga Village by empowering women, saying he would discuss with some authorities in the district “on a sustainable way for them to have food all the time” — adding that he is committed to construct 131 houses for the affected people in the village.

Also targeted is construction of 30 houses in Ntchisi and both Joyce Banda and Muluzi applauded the private sector for its timely support towards survivors of Cyclone Freddy.

This was after the official construction launch of 59 houses for survivors in Chiradzulu on piece of land donated by Mikolongwe Veterinary Station and they asked other organisations to emulate good gesture from well-wishers as there are still many houses that need to be constructed.

During the event, Nyasa Group of Companies, Gift of the Givers, Red Cross and other stakeholders donated maize flour, tents, cooking oil and other assorted items.—Additional reporting by Malawi News Agency (MANA)