A mother and her child outside a makeshift tent in Chikwawa.—Picture by Arkangel Tembo, MANA
By Duncan Mlanjira
In a bid to support Government’s call for assistance towards relief to victims of Cyclone Ana, NICO Group has — through World Vision — donated K27 million targeting the floods’ victims in Chikwawa District.
NICO Group has done this in cognizance that Chikwawa was hit the hardest as over 84,000 households were affected by the tropical storm — which is the worst rain affected disaster in the area.
Most families were left homeless as their houses were washed awa by the floods that took place in January.
The devastation caused by Cyclone Ana prompted President Lazarus Chakwera, who declared a state of national disaster whilst calling on all stakeholders to join hands in assisting the flood victims.
Thus the response from NICO Group, the leading financial services corporate institution in Malawi, which has been at the forefront of responding to Government’s calls for assistance when there are natural disasters or state of emergencies in Malawi.
NICO Group Managing Director, Vizenge Kumwenda, said they will continue playing their role in reaching out to the communities in the countries it operates in.
“We have been operating in Malawi for over 50 years and such disasters affect us too as a corporate citizen,” he said. “It is only right that we assist as many of our fellow citizens as we can.
He also called on other corporates and individuals of goodwill to continue assisting victims of the storm in any way possible, saying it will take longer for the affected families to get back to their feet.
“It is pleasing to see various corporates and individuals come together to assist victims of cyclone. This is in line with our philosophy that we are stronger together. I call on more of this togetherness so that we reach more people,” he said.
The K27 million will assist 1,000 household with food packs and domestic utensils.
NICO Group’s partnership with World Vision is not new as NICO, with support by Sanlam, also joined hands to aide victims of Cyclone Idai in 2018.
Kumwenda maintained that NICO Group “is committed to assisting efforts and initiatives that aid Malawians to attain better living standards”.