By Vincent Khonje

Mchinji, February 1, Mana: In Wayisoni Village, at Matutu within Tradition Authority (T/A) Mduwa in Mchinji, 60-year-old Severiano Phinifolo and his 51-year-old wife, Magadalena, confront not only the challenges of physical disabilities but also the harsh reality of living in desperate and impoverished conditions.

The couple, bound by a wheelchair and crutches, respectively, seeks assistance from benevolent individuals to alleviate their distressing circumstances.

Severiano and Magadalena endure the absence of a proper dwelling, residing in a meagre shack constructed from reeds and thatched with grass.

The couple's daily struggle for survival forces them into a dependence on begging and the sporadic piecework that Magdalena manages, despite her growing weakness due to the enduring pain from childbirth scars.

"We only eat once, in the evening, when going to sleep. We lack a proper place to sleep, enduring the wet floor during the rainy season. It is tough, but we manage somehow," shares Phinifolo.

Phinifolo explains that he had always lived a better life despite his disability when he lived with his family in Group Village Mduwa.

However, things turned worse when his parents died and relatives chased him and took away the land his father had.

“My brothers who are able-bodied moved to Zambia and my sisters got married; we were left to survive on our own so we found ourselves here at Wayisoni Village in Matutu,” says Phinifolo who has been in Matutu since last year.

With the little money they kept while in GVH Mduwa, they asked for a piece of land which they purchased and it is where they have erected the small shack they call home.

The new location is where they are facing a lot of challenges.

Compounding their plight, the couple takes on the role of caretakers for their granddaughter, Yankho, who embarks on her daily journey to school on an empty stomach.

Yankho, a six-year-old standard-two learner at Chitunda Primary School, unfortunately, is used to the life of waking up in the morning, fetching water from their neighbor’s well, taking a bath, and heading to school without eating anything.

To make matters worse, Chitunda Primary School has no school feeding programme making her endure a half day of classes on an empty stomach.

Magadalena reveals: "My daughter trekked to Zambia, and we do not hear from her. However, she left us with her child, and we are struggling to provide for her in these challenging conditions."

Driven by desperation, Phinifolo crafts wooden sieves in an attempt to sustain the family, yet his business faces considerable challenges—people are not buying.

Meanwhile, one of the couple's two children pursues a law degree at the University of Malawi, offering hope for the family's future; however, financial constraints leave him to fend for himself, relying on the support of well-wishers.

“We gave birth to two children, my daughter who is in Zambia, and my son who got lucky and found a place to study law. I cannot lie, I am unable to support him and his progress towards education is possible because of other well-wishers,” said Phinifolo.

The son, Madalitso, does not even visit during holidays as he cannot afford money to and from Mchinji resorting to staying behind at school or sometimes at his uncle’s in Mtandire Lilongwe.

However, the couple and the son who is in his second year now, constantly get in touch, thanks to a small phone Phinifolo has.

Despite their hardships, the couple remains excluded from social support programs, having missed out on both the Agriculture Input Programme (AIP) and the Social Cash Transfer (SCT).

Principal Social Welfare Officer Emmanuel Gerevazio states: “For now all we can ask for is support from well-wishers while we are looking for ways of how to respond to the situation. On having the couple on SCT, the programme enrollment process is very much rigorous, there are thousands of ultra-poor households in Mchinji and only a few have access.”

SCT beneficiaries are selected from the Universal Beneficiary Registry (UBR), adding to the challenge of enrolling anyone into the program.

Village head Wayisoni said as a village they feel for the family, but, despite the empathy, the village is grappling with its difficulties this year, relying on mangoes that are also dwindling in supply.

"No one in this village qualified for AIP, and most people have no food, resorting to eating only once. We are powerless to help; they need well-wishers," concludes VH Wayisoni.

Malawi Council for the Handicapped (MACOHA) facilitator for Mduwa, Violet Kawere, acknowledges her awareness of the couple's challenging circumstances and affirms that MACOHA has maintained regular contact.

Kawere notes that MACOHA's assistance has primarily involved facilitating the acquisition of a wheelchair to enhance Phinifolo’s mobility.

"As others have already emphasized, the appeal is directed towards well-wishers to lend their support to the family and alleviate them from the profound poverty they are facing," says Kawere.

Despite the hardships, there is a silver lining in that the small piece of land they reside on is owned by the family, and they cultivate maize; however, the yield may not be sufficient to meet their needs in the long run.

Additionally, the family benefits from the generosity of a caring neighbor, Mary Katsabola, who allows them to fetch water from her well, addressing their sanitation requirements.

The couple's aspirations extend beyond immediate relief, encompassing a stable source of food, a proper dwelling place, and support for their granddaughter's education.

Phinifolo and his wife also hold ambitions for their son's education, expressing a willingness to support him. However, their hands are tied, as they currently have no means to secure funds for this purpose.

They remain optimistic and continue to look to well-wishers who can extend a helping hand to lift them out of the deep seas of poverty.