UK aid provides life-saving support to Malawi flood victims
The United Kingdom’s (UK) Department for International Development (DfID) has announced that it is providing £3.4 million to provide immediate life-saving aid to victims of recent floods in Malawi.
A statement issued Thursday by DfID states that it will provide emergency shelter, food, clean water and sanitation facilities, and health support.
DFID support responding to this crisis is in addition to existing large scale resilience- building programming which is providing cash transfers so that 140,000 people can feed themselves until the end of March.
According to the statement, the UK is channelling support through the World Food Programme, UNICEF and the Red Cross, targeting the most affected areas of Phalombe, Nsanje and Chikwawa.
The statement quotes DfID Head in Malawi David Beer as having said: “The floods and devastation linked to the recent Cyclone Idai weather system have had a shocking impact on the region, including on southern Malawi. The UK is absolutely committed to supporting Malawians who have been affected.
“The £3.4 million of funding for immediate food, shelter, health and water and sanitation needs will help Malawians deal with the immediate impact.”
UK aid will:
provide 65,000 people with emergency shelter, and support camps hosting people displaced from their homes;
support 150,000 people with immediate food assistance for two months;
provide 250,000 people with water, sanitation and hygiene support; and
help 130,000 people access health services.
The support is in response to President Mutharika’s declaration of a State of Disaster due to heavy rains and flooding that affected some parts of the Southern and Central regions, affecting over 90 000 households and rendering over 15 000 people homeless.
At least 13 districts have been impacted by the flooding, including Chikwawa, Machinga, Mulanje, Nsanje, Phalombe and Zomba.
