* The crises Malawi is experiencing are beyond what the country is prepared for—First Lady
* Plans to scale up community-based crisis-related response, mitigation, and preparedness are underway—IFRCRC
By Gift Chiponde, MANA
First Lady, Madame Monica Chakwera has expressed gratitude for the good work that the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRCRC), through the Malawi Red Cross Society, is doing in Malawi, especially after Cyclone Freddy and recent floods which hit the country.
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She made these remarks on Tuesday after paying a courtesy call to the IFRCRC’s secretary general, Jagan Chapagan in Geneva, Switzerland, where she reiterated her passion towards the work done by the Red Cross, particularly in ensuring that the education of the girl child is not interrupted during times of crisis, considering that girls normally have a limited number of years they can adequately attend school.
She further assured the secretary general of her commitment to collaborate with IFRCRC in humanitarian programs, considering that the world is still facing many crises, saying: “The crises Malawi is experiencing are beyond what the country is prepared for.”
On his part, Chapagan and his team from the health and education departments highlighted different programs being implemented in Malawi through the Malawi Red Cross Society and among priority areas being focused on include support for crisis-related challenges, strengthening the capacity of the Red Cross in Malawi, collaboration with the Ministry of Health on disaster preparedness and planning for re-position preparedness on disaster with the Global Fund.
“Plans to scale up community-based crisis-related response, mitigation, and preparedness are underway,” he said.
On education, the IFRCRC through the Danish Red Cross with funding from the European Union, provides support to schools to be better and safer places with continued education provision during crises to avoid the disruption of education services as most times, education facilities become temporary places of accommodation.
He stated that plans in education include climate change-related activities — greening schools to be more climate change resilient and assisting in ensuring agriculture practices that are climate resilient.
It also includes first aid awareness for teachers and pupils, young people and students, including behavioral change programs and family support, among others.
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