By Alexander Juma, a Contributor
Castel Malawi, Malawi’s largest beverage company, has donated relief items worth K20 million to survivors of Cyclone Freddy which has claimed lives of more than 300 people and displaced thousands of families in the southern region of the country.
The donation was made on Thursday at four evacuation camps in Ndirande Township in Blantyre namely: Nyambadwe, Namalimwe, Matope, and Makata where the survivors have been relocated.
Castel Malawi’s Human Resource and Corporate Affairs Director, Gloria Zimba, said they started with Ndirande township because that is where the company is located, but will extend this help to other areas since most of their employees, customers and other stakeholders have been affected.
“We could not continue to operate without thinking of the people who are in need and are suffering. On humanitarian grounds, the company thought it wise that we give these people a hand as part of our corporate social responsibility. The items donated will help to ease the problems these people are facing at the moment,” said Zimba.
The company partnered with Young Achievers for Development and other stakeholders to ensure that the survivors benefit from the relief items.
Nyambadwe Ward Councillor, who is also Deputy Mayor for Blantyre City, Funny Balaba Kanojelera, expressed gratitude to Castel Malawi for the donation, stating that this will benefit a lot of people who were in great need of blankets and food items.
“As of Wednesday, the number of occupants at the Nyambadwe primary school evacuation camp was about 1141, and the number is still going up. This act of kindness is a reminder that, in times of crisis, we must come together to support one another and build stronger communities. We therefore thank Castel Malawi for they have brought what is required to sustain these people,” he said.
One of the survivors, Cathy Chaona, a mother of five, narrated that she has lost her house and is lodging at Nyambadwe Primary School with his children.
“The main problem we have here is food. With Castel bringing foodstuffs, we are assured that we will have a meal,” she said.
Some of the donated items include blankets, maize flour, polythene sheets for covering windows, plastic buckets, plates, cups, soya pieces, sugar, salt, soap and other food stuff.