By Mary Makhiringa

Balaka, October 23, Mana: At least 1000 families from Sub Traditional Authority Nyanyala will afford three means a day following the donation of relief items by Design Outreach, an international Christian organization.

This is the second time that the NGO donates various food items to the area following their last similar donation in July.

Operations Manager for Design Outreach Titus Nnesa said as a Christian organization they always want to share the love of God to others.

Said Nnesa: “Knowing that man is made up of the body and the soul, we decided, with our partners from the United States of America (USA) to make this food donation realizing that for a person to function well and decide to go to church, he or she must have food first.

“This is our second time coming to this area because we would like to leave an impact. That is why we thought of coming back with a similar donation as we know by now the people must have finished the previous donation.”

Disaster Risk Management Assistant Officer for Balaka, Iness Chawinga, said the district is currently facing severe food shortages with 51 802 families living without any food day in day out.

“We are so grateful to Design Outreach for the kind gesture shown in Nyanyala especially that they thought of coming back to do another donation after their previous one in July. This will go a long way in curbing the various challenges these community members are facing because of lack of food,” she said.

Sub Traditional Authority Nyanyala thanked Design Outreach for considering his area out of the many that have similar challenges.

“When they first came here in July with a similar donation, they made it clear that God willing they shall come back with yet another. As days accumulated to months, I thought they will never come again considering that other areas have similar challenges.

“Seeing them today is a blessing and may the name of our Lord be praised for the love and consistence that these friends of ours have on us,” he said.

During the donation, each household received a 20-kilogram bag of maize flour, two kilograms soya flour, two kilogram beans, ten packets of soya pieces, one kilogram of salt and one liter of cooking oil, all valued at k52 Million.

All beneficiaries were taken through a spiritual session in which the word of the Lord was shared with emphasis   on hope and repentance.