Wananchi Group joins President Chakwera’s Tigwirane Manja campaign with K10m support towards Freddy recovery

* Wananchi owns SimbaNET — a licensed wholesaler for internet services and connectivity solutions

* As well as Zuku, the pay television service provider

By Duncan Mlanjira

Wananchi Group Limited says it is the duty of every Malawian to support each other in times of need — thus it joins President Lazarus Chakwera’s Tigwirane Manja campaign by investing K10 million towards recovery efforts by Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) after disastrous effects of Cyclone Freddy-induced floods.

Wananchi, which owns SimbaNET — a licensed wholesaler for internet services and connectivity solutions as well as Zuku, the pay television service provider — says they “felt compelled to assist homeless survivors through DoDMA in order make a difference in the communities that we are currently working”.

At the presentation ceremony in Lilongwe, SimbaNET Malawi’s head of sales, Tiwonge Chirambo said their gesture is in response to President Lazarus Chakwera’s call for assistance following the destruction.

While Zuku’ head of sales, Francis Dzama said they are impressed with DoDMA’s response to the disaster — hence their decision to channel the resources through the state owned institution.

The Cyclone Freddy — that wreaked havoc in the Southern Region — claimed over 676 lives, with 537 still missing and feared dead.

The disaster also displaced around 660, 000 people and destroyed multi-billion kwacha infrastructure — as said by Deputy Director for Disaster Response, Fyawupi Mwafongo; adding that an assessment of the destruction shows that the country requires over K500 billion to fully recover.

He, therefore, applauded Wananchi Group for its support which is crucial in the recovery mission.

“The support has come at the right time as we are in the process of decommissioning camps and also the return and transition to early recovery of the affected communities,” Mwafongo said.

Taking cognizance that life in a relief camp is dreadful for Cyclone Freddy-induced survivors but they have no choice because they lost their homes and livelihood property — thus just waiting for relief food and non-food packages being provided for by the government, development partners and other stakeholders — Blantyre Arts Festival (BAF) has been supporting the survivors with maize flour, blankets, sugar, clothes, mosquito nets, iron sheets, which are meant for relocation of the victims bearing in mind that they can’t stay in the camps for so long.

In an interview last week, BAF Executive Director, Thom Chibambo said they are working with their various partners — that include Freundeskreis Malawi (Germany-based Friends of Malawi Circles); World Connect; Amaryliss Hotel Blantyre; Cepa; Aqua-Pure among others — to adopt families to assist with building materials such as roof sheets.

“They need to live their normal life at their new places to avoid the same effects of future Cyclone,” he said, adding that there have also been different individuals who have played vital roles in supporting BAF in the initiatives.

The Freundeskreis Malawi members include Silvia Hesse from Hannover City (Board chairperson); Wolfgang and Claudia Sontheim from Munich supporting BAF chairperson, Alfred Msadala. 

“The continued BAF support is earmarked to reach out to 5,000 victims and so far over 500 people have been reached. BAF is therefore appealing different organisation and individuals with relief support to help government to support the survivors of Cyclone Freddy, especially for the relocation process of which BAF is embarked on through World Connect Malawi. 

For more information, Chibambo said BAF can be reached through info@blantyreartsfestival.com or 265888894271.