By Martha Simchimba

Lilongwe, August 28, Mana: Government through the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (Dodma) under special needs support program, has donated 6,000 bags of maize to vulnerable households in Lilongwe district.

The donation targeted the elderly, orphans and people living with disabilities who were affected by the effects of El Nino such as, dry spell that hit the district.

Speaking during the distribution exercise on Tuesday in the area of Traditional Authority Chimutu, a 70-year-old woman Letiyana Chisanjika, thanked government for the donation saying it will reduce food challenges in her household.

 "I am so happy to receive a bag of 50kg of maize today. I have been sleeping on an empty stomach since I cannot afford to buy the five litre bucket of maize which is now going at MK4,000.

“We are struggling a lot to find food, because we did not harvest anything from the field due to lack of fertilizer and the dry spell which affected the country," she said.

On his part, Group Village Head Kachule Kam'mwamba Kofi said the donation was timely as a lot of people especially the elderly, orphans and people with disabilities are struggling to find their day to day food.

"We are grateful for the support as you may be aware that many farmers were affected by dry spells which translated to poor harvest in the field, hence a number of people are starving with hunger," he said.

Kam’mwamba then appealed to government to continue rendering support to the less privileged people across the district as dry spell affected the entire district.

Lilongwe District Disaster Officer, Anganile Kalonga urged those who have received the donation to use them for the intended purpose and not sell the maize, saying the behavior is counterproductive.

Vulnerable households from 12 Traditional Authorities in the district namely:  Chadza, Chimutu, Chitukula, Chiwawula, Kabudula, Kalumba, Khongoni, M'bang'ombe, Malembo, Masula, Masumbankhunda and Msinde benefited from the donation.