ON MARCH 13th 2023, Tropical Storm Freddy hit southern Malawi causing utter devastation. Thanks to the kindness and generosity of so many people, Hope4Malawi’s Emergency Appeal following the storm has raised a fantastic £30,000 to date.
Funds are providing immediate relief for local communities so families can start rebuilding their lives.
Over 300 people lost their lives in the storm and thousands became displaced. Many of the brick and mud houses were destroyed or swept away by the floodwaters, leaving people without shelter, food or clean water.
Hope4Malawi trustees Mark and Sara Goodman were working in Malawi when the storm hit, so were ready on the ground to provide immediate and much-needed support.
Sara says: “This storm has deeply affected our partnership communities in the area where Hope Secondary School and its feeder primary schools are located. Sadly, our librarian at Hope lost eight family members."
Emergency Appeal funds are providing a lifeline
Immediate funding has enabled Hope4Malawi to provide food, cooking and storage essentials, also black plastic sheeting to protect people’s houses so they can move back in.
Additional funds will be used to enable Hope Secondary students to catch up
with their studies and will provide extra learning and teaching resources for Hope’s feeder
primary schools.
The day after the storm
In the immediate aftermath of the storm, Sara and Mark went with Jeremiah Jumbe, a local councillor, to Naotcha Primary School. Over 700 people were sheltering at the school due to a major mudslide nearby.
Many of them had lost their homes and family members. “It was heartbreaking to see a room full of children who didn’t know where their parents were,” says Mark Goodman. “We tried to give them hope and prayed together but it was very difficult.”
Having assessed what was most needed, Hope4Malawi provided pots, plates and other supplies. Even in such adversity, everyone was so grateful.
Help where it’s needed most
Work now continues to provide support for local communities. Recently 220 food packs were given to people living in the villages around Hope Secondary School and the Skills Centre site. This was done through the chiefs of the villages to support people who have lost their homes. Additionally, 100 people whose homes were damaged have received plastic sheeting to stop further weathering. This will give them the opportunity to move back in before rebuilding.
Food packs have also been distributed to students whose families are struggling to provide food. And during the two weeks when schools were closed, Hope4Malawi provided Phala to the communities located around Chipwepwete and Hope Schools.
While storm Freddy was raging, the builders working for Hope4Malawi lost the opportunity to earn money and also suffered damage to their homes. They have been given payment for time lost so they have some extra resources to rebuild.
Damage assessment
Vital assessment work has also taken place at Hope4Malawi’s partner school buildings. The kitchen at Mpemba Primary was damaged, along with some of the Phala. The library and some classrooms also sustained damage and need maintenance.
One of the toilet blocks at Chipwepwete School was also completely destroyed. Hope4Malawi is currently planning a maintenance programme to undertake this work in the coming months.
Additionally, Neil Amber from the UK is working to develop some plans for ‘model homes’ with the intention of providing training and materials for people to rebuild. This is an ongoing project that will need further work and planning.
Please support our Emergency Appeal
The scale of the problem in southern Malawi is overwhelming – and there is so much to be done.
If you would like to support our Emergency Appeal you can still do using the link below. Thank you so much.
Can you help a child in Malawi?
Thanks to the kind support of our partners, sponsors, fundraisers and volunteers, Hope4Malawi's school building, resourcing projects and student sponsorships continue to provide life-changing opportunities for children growing up in rural Malawi.
For information about the latest projects, and ways to get involved, please contact us.