Teachers, Students Donate K4 Million and Relief Items to Colleagues Affected by Cyclone Freddy

Lilongwe, Malawi - Teachers and students from the Central West Education Division (CWED) and Northern Education Division (NED) have come together to donate MK2 million each and assorted items to their colleagues in the southern region who have been affected by the recent Tropical Cyclone Freddy, writes Twimepoki Mangani 

During a symbolic handover ceremony to the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DODMA) on Thursday, Education Division Manager for NED, Dennis Kayira, spoke about the duty they felt to coordinate the donation as a symbol of solidarity and compassion.

"We have our colleagues, our fellow students, teachers, and head teachers who were traumatized by the loss of property and infrastructure, and as members of the education community, we believe that for teaching and learning to go well, our colleagues needed support in terms of property and food staff,” Kayira said.

The donated items included 10 bales of sugar, 500 kg of flour, 210 cartons of U-fresh soap, 90 bales of clothes, 5 bales of soya pieces, blankets, plastic cups, exercise books, body lotions, and writing materials.

Kayira expressed hope that the aid would ensure the students and teachers are well-equipped when the teaching and learning process resumes, subject to the Ministry of Education's order upon assessments.

Education Division Manager for CWED, Joseph Nkhata, also spoke about their gesture is in line with the appeal made by President Lazarus Chakwera, on the operation

“Tigwirane Manja” hence joining other stakeholders who are contributing to the cause, as seen in their partnership with the Malawi Secondary Schools Headteachers' Association (MASSHA) during the donations.

“We are all one family as Malawians, therefore, the loss of life traumatized us and affected the teaching in the other divisions, which were not physically affected,” Nkhata said.

Under Secretary of DoDMA, Christopher Herbert said their sector working groups (clusters) have put donations into categories to easily direct well-wishers on what relief items the affected people need.

The clusters are shelter, protection, health, non-food items, food security and nutrition, and WASH, which includes soap and mobile toilets.

DoDMA’s situation report released on March 24 indicated that at least 273,388 learners were affected by the cyclone, with 113 students (69 boys and 44 girls) and two female teachers reported to have lost their lives within the affected divisions, South West Division, South East Division, and Shire Highlands.