By Chrissy Nkumba
LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Teeth Savers International has donated maize flour to Families affected by floods emanating from incessant rains in Salima district .
The donation, given to over 200 households, comes after the recent floods in Salima district that devastated numerous people in the area.
Speaking during the donation, the organization’s Country Director, Fred Sambani, said it is disheartening to see innocent families subjected to miserable life due to the floods which left most people in state of anguish due the the sustained losses.
Sambani added that the organization felt compelled to assist the disaster survivors in Salima after realizing that most support is going to the affected people in Lower shire.
According to Sambani, organisation as humanitarian institution felted duty bound to come in and assist with the food aid after consulting the parliamentarian for Salima Northwest constituency, Enock Phale, who is also deputy minister of Health.
“We are a humanitarian organisation with a special focus on promotion of oral hygiene. We were informed about the situation in most districts across the country particularly the Southern Region and the lakeshore areas especially Salima, that is why we thought we can make at least a small contribution in form of food hence the donation today,” said Sambani.
The member of Parliament for Salima Northwest constituency, Enock Phale, commended the organization for the donation adding that it was a big relief to the affected households.
“People have lost property, they have lost food and some don’t have shelters. Our partner, Teeth Savers International, has come at the right time to at least provide the immediate needs of these people while we are still searching for more sustainable solution to the problem,” said Phale.
Commenting on the matter, the Desk officer for Disaster and relief for Salima District council, Moses Kaufulu, said over 1000 households were affected by the disaster in form of floods in Salima Northwest constituency.
He hailed the deputy minister and the Teeth Savers international for responding to the disaster with food assistance.
“We are overwhelmed, this is the first donation to come to Salima Northwest constituency to people affected by the tropical cyclone Ana. We are grateful to Teeth Savers for the donation of maize flour.” Kaufulu said.
One of the beneficiaries, Maria Bizayi, who lost property and maize field after were washed away due to the floods has since appealed to well wisher to help them with cassava stems and sweet potatoes seedlings for them to plant in their fields again.
She also petitioned other well wishers to help them with a starter up capital that she believe would also be ideal so they start small businesses for recovery
