Thandizo Nottingham Association donates relief items to homeless Chiradzulu survivors of Cyclone Freddy-induced floods

Ndisale presents to the beneficiaries and joins them in celebration 

* Each bucket contained sugar, salt, bathing and washing soaps, plates, cups, spoons and sanitary pads for the women

* This thandizo (support) is very little but we wanted you to know that deep down our hearts we were with you in prayers

* And we felt your trauma through the images we saw of the damage caused by Cyclone Freddy floods

By Duncan Mlanjira

Through the District Commissioner’s office, Thandizo Nottingham Association — a charity managed by Malawians living in Nottingham in central England’s Midlands region — has donate various relief items to homeless Chiradzulu survivors of Cyclone Freddy-induced floods.

Identified by volunteers working with the District Council’s office in five Group Village Headmen’s areas of Msaka, Malika, Mbalanje, Kanjuchi and Chakachadza, each of the 50 beneficiary household received a bucket containing sugar, salt, bathing and washing soaps, plates, cups, spoons and sanitary pads for the women.

Presenting the support on behalf of Thandizo Nottingham Association at Mombezi Court was George Ndisale, who is chairperson of Malawi Association UK (MAUK) — the umbrella body of all associations of Malawians in the United Kingdom.

He said he arrived in the country in April for a visit and thus Nottingham Malawians took advantage of him to facilitate a hands-on presentation of the relief items.

He explained to the beneficiaries that every Malawian in UK was greatly saddened when they heard of the devastation that was caused by the floods in Southern Region and — as most Malawian associations  are angled towards charity — those in Nottingham also started mobilising funds to assist.

“This thandizo (support) is very little but we wanted you to know that deep down our hearts we were with you in prayers and we felt your trauma through the images we saw of the damage caused by Cyclone Freddy floods.

“As you rebuild your lives, be as strong as ever and help one another in solidarity,” he said, without even realising that at the end of the session, they would all pooled what they have received and shared amongst themselves from each village group who had not been chosen.

As soon as Ndisale completed his speech — and without being prompted — one beneficiary stood up and with deep emotion, asked him to relay their “deep appreciation of the support”, saying: “God should bless you all abundantly.”

An office assistant at the District Council, Eviness Mangwaya said Chiradzulu was also greatly affected from the floods that hit the country in March, saying they left over 5,000 people homeless — including one whole village of Mtauchila.

“We really appreciate such help from wellwishers as you have witnessed from the relief on these people’s faces,” she said.

Another MAUK affiliate, Malawian UK Nurses Association (MUNA) — an embodiment of like-minded Malawian physicians based in the UK — also assisted flood disaster survivors in Zomba in April, that included blankets, Likuni Phala, buckets, waterguard and women’s dignity packs for two relief camps of Sitima and Chirunga in Zomba.

Also in April, Malawi Women in Diaspora Network assisted survivors with dignity kits at Mapale camp in Phalombe — dubbed ‘Abwenzi Dignity Bucket’, which consists of feminine sanitary products such as reusable and disposable sanitary pads, soap and underwear in a plastic bucket.