When Cyclone Freddy wreaked havoc in the southern part of the country in 2023, 50-year-old Margaret Brayim in Zomba was left helpless as her grass-thatched home collapsed.
“It changed everything,” she recalls. “We had nowhere to sleep or store our belongings.”
With four children to care for, rebuilding felt impossible.
The devastating effects of Cyclone Freddy left many women like Brayim in dire straits.
Today, that has changed. Brayim and her children now live in a secure house thanks to Malawi Network of Older Person’s (MANEPO) Facilitating Recovery and Resilience Building for Vulnerable Flood and Rain-Affected Mothers in Need project, which is helping elderly women in Zomba rebuild their lives after the effects of the cyclone.
The project is funded by Aktion Deutschland Hilft (ADH) and HelpAge Deutschland (HAD).
Andrew Kavala, Country Director for MANEPO said as the country continues to rebuild and recover from natural disasters, it is important to prioritise the needs of vulnerable groups such as the elderly.
“The project in Zomba stands as a shining example of how humanitarian efforts can make a profound difference in the lives of those who need it most,” he said.
Principal Information Management and Public Relations Officer at the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DODMA), Chipiliro Khamula, applauded MANEPO’s gesture, saying this is in line with DoDMA’s mission of ensuring that vulnerable communities have access to resilient houses that can withstand climate-related shocks.
65-year-old Egile Makina shares Brayim’s gratitude. Her home was also destroyed by the cyclone, and rebuilding on her own was out of reach.
“I have a comfortable living space now,” she said with a smile. “It was hard for me to rebuild due to my age and poverty.”
By Barbra Mwandira
