Malawi: Cyclone Freddy caused massive damage, food, medical care and temporary shelter needed for survivors
Cyclone Freddy has hit Malawi hard, the provisional toll is over 500 dead, 500 people missing and more than 490,000 displaced.
The cyclone hit Blantyre, the country’s second largest city, and the surrounding area in particular. Some areas, such as East Bank and Chikwawa, are still unreachable due to destroyed roads and bridges, and aid can only be delivered by launching it from helicopters flying over the area.
The Community of Sant’Egidio has been active in providing aid since the first days with distributions of food, blankets and medicine especially for the most fragile displaced people: the elderly and children.
The situation is particularly critical in the south of the country, where the villages of Chisitu and Gambula have been completely submerged by water, crops have been lost and many people have been left homeless.
Despite the devastation, there are many stories of courage and solidarity, like that of Evans, one of the Sant’Egidio leaders in the area, who housed eleven displaced people in his house, Chisomo from the community of Phalombe, during the cyclone, with his canoe rescued about 70 people.
In recent days, Sant’Egidio has opened a canteen for fragile people in Blantyre, which complements the activities of the nutritional centre for children, and has activated a health service in the camps for displaced people through mobile clinics, to prevent and treat respiratory and intestinal infections, and by distributing tablets to purify the water now polluted throughout the country due to the rupture of the water network.
In addition, the Youth for Peace of Sant’Egidio continue to travel to the most remote and hard-to-reach areas to track down the missing and bring them aid.
The situation remains difficult for many survivors, especially for homeless children and elderly people who need everything. In the refugee camps, where there are many children and many are without parents, Sant’Egidio has started the School of Peace for the youngest children who, due to the closure of schools, wander the streets all day and are exposed to many dangers.
To help you can donate by
By bank transfer: IT36Q0200805074000060045279
Beneficiary: COMMUNITY OF S.EGIDIO – ACAP ONLUS
BIC/SWIFT Code: UNCRITM1Y82
Causale: Cyclone Freddy