2023 BROTHERS FIC MALAWI’S CYCLONE FREDDY RESPONSE

It has been four months since we experienced the traumatic and tragic event of Cyclone Freddy in Malawi. The hearts of some people have not settled yet as they still remember the devastation they experienced. Some of the people who were washed away by floods and landslides, up to date have not been found yet. Some begin to forget or rather declare them dead. As people lament for the loss of their loved ones, others are still struggling to find food and have a good place to stay.

As some organizations continue to source funds to help these people, Brothers FIC Malawi took their turn at first to distribute food in some of the camps where they were seeking refuge. Recently, in collaboration with Catholic Development Commission in Malawi (CADECOM), Brothers FIC Malawi have helped the victims in Phalombe district in constructing their new houses. When the victims were told to vacate the camps and return to their villages, some struggled to find a place to sleep since their houses had been destroyed. They could not afford to build houses and find all the resources that will make their lives normal again. CADECOM, in its response, trained the victims in Phalombe to mould their own bricks and sourced builders in the same villages to construct houses for these victims. Brothers FIC Malawi made an agreement with CADECOM to pay the builders through the fund donated by the General Council. The builders have constructed 200 houses of the victims that sort refuge at Chithumbwe and Dzanjo camps in Traditional Authority Jenala in Phalombe. On 8th July 2023, the Brothers FIC Malawi through Bros. Mike Mbato and Moses Mgunda visited some of the houses that were built and made payment to the builders for the 200 houses that have been constructed.