By Chisomo Kambandanga

Nkhata Bay, June 19, Mana: Small Producers Development and Transporters Association (SPRODETA) Tuesday with support from Hope for the Child donated relief food items to people who were affected by floods early this year in areas of Timbiri, Thula, Mkumbira, Malanda, Mankhambira in Nkhata Bay District

In an interview with Malawi News Agency (Mana) after the distribution of the items, Project Coordinator for SPRODETA, Daniel Nyirenda said that the humanitarian assistance was part of their emergency project in response to disasters that hit the district in April this year.

"We were equally concerned with flooding waters which rendered some households destitute in some parts of Nkhata Bay.

It is against this back ground that we decided to extend a helping hand to these survivors to alleviate their suffering," Nyirenda said.

He added that the organization had already reached out to 500 households in the first phase of the response and intend to serve a similar number of households by end of June 2024 with a total target 3000 households.

"Each household receives a pack containing 20 Kilograms of maize, 3 Kilograms of rice, 2 kilograms of beans, one kilogram of salt, two tablets of soap including a wrapper to expectant and lactating women," he said.

Nyirenda therefore said they are also reaching out to the elderly, people with disabilities, pregnant and lactating mothers besides the flood survivors.

Senior Traditional Authority Thula hailed government for creating a good operating environment for non-state actors such as SPRODETA to participate in responding to impacts of disasters.

"Government gave us maize some few months ago. Today, we are receiving other relief food items from SPRODETA. We are thankful for the support and I ask every beneficiary to make good use of whatever we have received," said Thula.

One of the beneficiaries, Martha Nkhata commended the organization for the donation, describing it as timely.

Mathews Chirwa from Msanja said SPRODETA has set a good pace by incorporating people with disabilities in their program, an intervention which he said is overlooked by most of organizations.