By Ernest Mfunya

Mangochi, September 11, Mana: Mangochi District Council on Tuesday distributed 50 Kilograammes bags of relief maize to 425 households affected by hunger in the areas of Group Village Heads, Issa Mponda and Mitanga, under Senior Chief Mponda.

Speaking after distributing the relief maize, the District Risk Management Officer for Mangochi, Maria Joseph explained that the distribution was in response to reports of people eating the roots of plants due to food scarcity. 

She said the council conducted an assessment in the district and requested assistance from the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DODMA), which promptly provided the relief maize.

“Following our assessment we reported the matter to the Department of Disaster and Management Affairs requesting for urgent assistance of food. DODMA responded swiftly by sending us this maize we are distributed today," Joseph said.

She commended DODMA for their swift response, demonstrating the government's commitment to preventing hunger-related deaths and further urged beneficiaries to use the relief maize wisely to serve the intended purpose of providing food at household level.

In her remarks, one of the beneficiaries, Chrissy Ojesi, 59, expressed gratitude for the relief maize saying due to dry spells and poor rainfall patterns caused by El Nino, her family failed to harvest enough maize that could last them a year thereby compelled to eat wild tubers that put their lives in danger.

“I am happy that I have received this maize because I had no food at home. This maize will assist me and my six children who usually sleep on empty stomachs,” she said.

Wyson Matebule, a 48-year-old resident of Group Village Head Mitanga, said that with schools reopening soon, he was concerned about providing food for his eight children when they return from school.

“The relief maize has come at the right time such that I am relieved to have food for my school-going children,” said Matebule, adding the relief food assistance was timely.

Each year government through DODMA distributes relief maize to vulnerable households affected by hunger.

Meanwhile, the Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee (MVAC) indicates that the number of people in need of food assistance in the country has increased from 4.2 million to 5.7 million during the lean period from October this year.