Illovo Sugar Malawi Plc has activated a flood victims support plan for its Nchalo estate and surrounding
areas.
The plan was initiated soon after it was announced by the Department of Climate Change &
Meteorological Services that Cyclone Freddy was likely to affect Southern Malawi.
The company has put in place measures to support its employees as well as villages immediately
surrounding its operations in Nchalo.
Illovo Sugar Malawi Plc’s Managing Director, Lekani Katandula said: “Our Nchalo Estate team in Chikwawa is on high alert with safety measures in place to protect employees and operations during this disaster”. We are also offering basic supplies to affected communities closest to our Nchalo Estate.”
The Company will be providing essential supplies such as maize flour, soya pieces, cooking oil, salt, beans, soap tablets, buckets, mosquito nets, water guard, tents, and sanitary pads. The company is also currently providing potable water to the victims and surrounding communities.
Meanwhile, the company is waiting for further damage assessment especially of infrastructure to provide the necessary support and mitigations.
The company has committed a total of K100 million towards the emergency response support plan to
complement current government efforts in the provision of emergency support especially in Chikwawa.
Recently ISM handed over 6,250 to blankets to the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA)
in fulfillment of a commitment which Illovo made during the Presidential Golf Tournament, which was held on October 8, 2022.
The total cost of the blankets is K40 million. The handover has been timely as this will also go towards the victims.
Katandula further added that: “as a business ISM is committed to ensuring the “creation of a thriving
Malawian community and that this includes responding to challenges which may threaten that objective”.
In his closing remarks Katandula sent his heartfelt condolences to those who have lost loved ones as well
as those who have lost their homes.
“It is not an easy time, but I believe that if we all come together as a nation, we can overcome this challenge. It is pleasing to note that many organizations and individuals are already doing so much to rally behind victim support initiatives. These are our everyday heroes, and we commend them.
Illovo Sugar (Malawi) plc is listed on the Malawi Stock Exchange with 76% of the issued share capital held by the Illovo group and the balance by public and other institutional investors.
The corporate office is based at Limbe with two operations at Nchalo in the south of Malawi and Dwangwa in the mid-central region, producing sugar cane and raw and refined sugar, together with specialty sugars at Nchalo.
Illovo Malawi is the country’s sole sugar producer with more than 70% of total sugar sales sold to domestic consumer and industrial markets, and the balance exported to preferential markets in the EU and the USA, and the surrounding region.