FDH Bank Plc once more donates towards flood victims through ADRA

FDH Bank’s Hamisi and her colleague Levie Nkulichi handing over the support to Pastor Nyirenda and Board member Dorothy Chapeyama

* This comes after FDH Bank Plc contributed K15 million towards DoDMA’s response

* As a Group assistance to DoDMA, First Discount House pooled in K7.5m, K5m from FDH Money Bureau for the total of K27.5m

* When ADRA reached us with their initiative we found it noble and honourable, hence stepping in to support the cause

* This shows how committed FDH is to making a difference to the communities

By Duncan Mlanjira

Just a week after FDH Holdings Plc presented K27.5 million to Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) in response towards assisting victims of Tropical Cyclone Ana — of which FDH Bank Plc contributed K15 million — the bank has once more donated K7 million, this time through Adventist Development & Relief Agency (ADRA).

As a Group assistance to DoDMA, First Discount House assisted with K7.5 million with K5 million coming from FDH Money Bureau for the total of K27.5 million.

The assistance to DoDMA covers four districts of Chikwawa, Nsanje, Phalombe and Mulanje to procure food and non-food relief items.

ADRA’s response is targeted for the plight of the flood victims in Chikwawa District and at the handover ceremony of the cheque on Tuesday, FDH Bank’s Head of Global Markets & Trade Finance, Patricia Hamisi said their assistance it towards the purchase of food items to support 250 households.

Each family will each receive 5kg packet of beans; 5kg packet of Corn-Soya blend; 2ltrs of cooking oil; a packet of salt and two packets of sugar.

Hamisi said: “Cyclone Ana has brought various challenges to people in Chikwawa that has left them destitute and struggling to find necessities especially food and when ADRA reached us with their initiative to solicit funds and offer support for the victims, we found this noble and honourable, hence stepping in to support the cause.

“Last week, FDH Holdings Plc partnered DoDMA to support families in a number of districts, which shows how committed FDH is to making a difference to the communities.”

She applauded ADRA management for their effort in managing the impact of the floods, saying: “As we try to recover as a country, we hope that this donation from FDH Bank Plc will make a difference in Chikwawa.”

To show their full gratitude, ADRA was represented by a high profile entourage that included president of Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) Church, Pastor Tony Nyirenda; chairperson of ADRA Board’s finance committee, Mphatso Bello; Board member Dorothy Chapeyama; Country Director Dennis Matekenya as well as executive secretary of South Malawi Conference of the SDA Church.

In his vote of thanks, Country Director Matekenya said they budgeted to raise K100 million targeting two phases — food and non-food relief items for the victims and recovery process thereafter and so far they have raised over K30 million.

In his remarks, Pastor Nyirenda said, through their gesture — after also making another huge contribution through DoDMA — FDH Bank Plc has demonstrated that it exists to assist people whether in time of joy or disasters of this nature.

“Together with FDH Bank and other partners, the SDA Church is taking the example of Jesus to relieve the plight of people in times of trouble”.

He also said their first target was Chikwawa as an immediate response and in the recovery stage other areas shall be considered.

When DoDMA received its support, Response & Recovery Director, Moses Chimphepo said Cyclone Ana was the biggest disaster to hit Malawi, saying it is worse than Cyclone Idai which hit the nation in 2020.

The rain caused by Cyclone Ana registered over 400 millimeters in 24 hours of January 23-25 while Cyclone Idai registered about 250 millimeters of rain in three days and that most of the people affected are also those that are on higher grounds as well as those that moved away from the usual flood prone areas.

Initial stages of reaching out to affected people were thwarted by roads that were damaged by the floods — the main being along road from Blantyre that was cut off at five places which have since been rehabilitated.

DoDMA’s statistics as of last week indicates that while Chikwawa and Nsanje were the worst hit, there were nine districts in total that were affected in the Southern Region in which over 193,500 households, representing over 180,000 people, were rendered homeless and are in camps — 132 camps in total with 43 in Chikwawa and Nsanje alone.

Confirmed number of deaths as of Tuesday last week was at 33 with injuries of over 158 and those missing then were 20.

DoDMA indicated that the whole recovery process is targeted to be continued in the next three months as Cyclone Ana destroyed roads, houses, power lines and water systems.