Cyclone Idai has brought flooding to the southern parts of Malawi.  The country started receiving heavy rains from 5 to 10 March resulting in destructive flash floods especially in the Southern Region. Some of the ladies in our groups have been affected. 

Gift of the Givers (the organisation we are working with on the Lotus Project) have a disaster relief operation. Gift of the Givers has partnered the Malawi Defense Force (MDF), the Malawi Red Cross and the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) to respond to the needs of the affected communities.

Gift of the Givers Malawi offices have been extremely busy responding to the needs of people affected by the devastating floods in Malawi:over  30,000 homes destroyed, 750,000 persons displaced, 56 people have lost their lives, extensive destruction of agricultural land, widespread hunger (a major crisis even before the floods), uncertainty and desperation. Our offices are inundated with requests for various types of assistance. These include housing, building material, plastic sheeting, blankets, new clothing, eating utensils, food, baby food, sanitary pads, nappies, drinking water and mosquito nets. Government facilities require medical supplies. They have been able to give out support includeing blankets, plastic sheeting, mosquito nets, kitchen utensils comprising cooking pots, plates, cups and buckets, and food parcels containing maize flour, corn soya blend, sugar, salt, milk, rice, tea, beans, soy chunk relish, laundry and bath soap.