The Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) has called on district councils to enhance record keeping for effective camp coordination and management.

DoDMA’s Director of Disaster Response and Recovery, Rev. Moses Chimphepo, made the call Tuesday in Blantyre when he officially opened a four-day camp coordination and camp management (CCCM) orientation for District Civil Protection Committees, (DCPCs) which are structures responsible for coordinating the implementation of various disaster risk management (DRM) interventions at district level.

Chimphepo said record keeping is key for informed decision-making and provision of basic needs for internally displaced persons (IDPs).

“We need to safely keep records of disaggregated data in terms of sex, gender, age and most importantly, the vulnerable for instance women, people with disabilities and people living with HIV/AIDS.

“IDPs need to be treated with dignity by among other things, providing them with basic needs like food, clean water, shelter, sanitary facilities and health care. This can be achieved through having disaggregated data and the needs of each affected group at our fingertips,” said Chimphepo.

He then called upon the DCPC members to encourage people living in disaster-prone areas to move to safer places to avoid displacements that emanate from disasters, saying quite a number of households displaced by Tropical Storm Ana-induced floods have voluntarily expressed interest to move upland.

One of the participants, Blessings Kamtema, who is the Relief and Rehabilitation Officer for Nsanje said the orientation provides a guide on effective camp set-up and management.

“The orientation provides minimum standards on how IDPs in camps can be reached out to with need-based humanitarian support and encourages their (IDPs’) participation in decision making and developing recovery interventions,” said Kamtema.

The orientation, which brought together DCPC members from five districts of Chikwawa, Nsanje, Mulanje, Phalombe and Zomba; was held with financial support from the African Development Bank, under the Post Cyclone Idai Emergency Recovery and Resilience Project.

National Bank of Malawi plc on Friday (4th March, 2022) donated assorted relief items worth K50 million to over 2,000 people who were affected by Tropical Storm ANA-induced floods in Nsanje District.

Speaking in Nsanje during the handover ceremony of the donation, the bank’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Macfussy Kawawa, said the gesture was triggered by the concern for the affected and displaced households.

“As a corporate citizen, we heard the reports on loss of livelihood for the affected people following the effects of the floods and the President’s [Dr. Lazarus Chakwera] appeal for support.

“We got so concerned and it pleased our board to approve a K50 million package of relief items which we have brought here. As a good corporate citizen, we wanted to be within the support structures that are assisting the affected people,” said Kawawa.

The CEO further called upon organisations, companies and individuals of goodwill to emulate the bank’s gesture and stretch a helping hand to the affected people.

“The challenges being faced by the affected people are enormous. As National Bank, we would always want to do something and support the affected people. We will go back and should we find space, we will certainly do that [make some more donations].

“We would like to appeal to those that have not yet made a donation to come forward and assist. if we all brought the little we have, I am sure a lot of the affected people will have their challenges alleviated,” said Kawawa.

In his remarks, Department of Disaster Management Affairs’ Director of Response and Recovery, Rev. Moses Chimphepo said the department was grateful for the bank’s gesture.

“We are very thankful to National Bank for the donation. When the country was hit by Tropical Storm ANA, His Excellency the President Dr Lazarus Chakwera declared a state of disaster in the affected areas and appealed for support.

“National Bank of Malawi has brought food and non-food relief items to assist the affected people, this is a positive response to the President’s call and will go a long way towards complementing government’s effort in addressing the needs of the affected and challenges they are facing following the disaster,” said Chimphepo.

He then echoed Kawawa’s appeal for more assistance towards the affected people.

“We are planning for the provision of a return-home package for the displaced households and this calls for support from organisations, businesses and individuals of good will,” said Chimphepo.

Among others, the donated relief items include maize flour, rice, sugar, soya pieces, cooking oil, plastic sheets for temporary roofing, buckets, basins and plates.

A Malawian Micro finance lending institution, Select Financial Services on Wednesday (2 March, 2002) donated assorted relief items worth MK2.5 million to assist people affected by Tropical Storm ANA.

Handing over the items to officials from the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) at Capital Hill Lilongwe, Select Chief Executive Officer, Kisa Kalolokesya said the institution was compelled to help having seen the devastation that ANA caused in the affected districts.

Kalolokesya said as a corporate citizen, they felt it wise to join other stakeholders who have and are still reaching out to the affected through various donations.

“It’s our duty as an inclusive finance company to play our part in helping the affected. As such, we felt duty bound to assist and make a difference out there and we believe that the donation will change lives of the affected people,” said Kalolosya.

Receiving the donation, Commissioner for Disaster Management Affairs, Charles Kalemba thanked Select Financial Services for responding positively to the call made by President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera to assist people affected by ANA.

“The responsibility of reaching out to the affected must not always be left to donors and international bodies. Each one of us must reach out with the little we have and that’s the spirit DoDMA is encouraging,” said Kalemba.

Considering that the camps have not yet been demobilized, Kalemba appealed to other financial institutions to emulate the gesture by Select Financial Services by donating any item that may be used by those still in need of assistance.

The donated items include 200 bags of maize flour each weighing 25kg, 100-20 litre plastic buckets, 250 units of plastic cups, 200 units of plastic plates, 180 packets of Likuni Phala and 80 bales of soya pieces.

Kalemba has since assured Select Financial Services and the general public that the donation will be used for its intended purpose.

Press Trust has donated 182.5 metric tonnes (approximately 3,650 bags each weighing 50kg) of maize flour worth MK60 million to people affected by moderate tropical storm ANA.

The donation has gone towards six districts namely; Balaka, Phalombe, Mangochi, Mulanje, Chikwawa, and Nsanje.

Speaking when handing over the donated items to Nsanje District Council at Nyunyanyunya camp, Press Trust Head of Operations Chikondi Maleta said the gesture was meant to help the affected meet their food needs.

Maleta added that it was very important that in the spirit of oneness, Malawians should join hands in supporting fellow brothers and sisters who have been hit by disasters.

“This donation is a response to the declaration of state of disaster by President Lazarus Chakwera and appeal for support to the affected districts,” he said.

Maleta called upon all stakeholders to prudently manage the support being received from benefactors in response to the disaster.

Receiving the donation, Director of Planning and Development for Nsanje District Council, Smith Mnenula commended Press Trust for the timely intervention.

One of the beneficiaries, Evelyn Silvester, commended Press Trust for the donation, saying it will go a long way in addressing their food needs.