There have been 638,000 people estimated to be affected by the flooding here in Malawi according to the UNICEF USA website. 276 people have been declared dead or missing and as the rains continue, more and more are affected every day. Research done by COWLHA (Coalition of women living with HIV and AIDS) has indicated that over 1000 COWLHA members are also among those affected. Many in the camps and other shelters around Chikhwawa district have been going without food. Living in Chikhwawa Boma (the business part of the Chikhwawa District) has meant that the other Progressio ICS volunteers and I have not really been affected by the floods directly. However, as many COWLHA members (women that we work with) have been badly affected, we have witnessed first-hand some of the effects of the flooding.
On 30 January we visited Solijani, a village in the Traditional Authority of N’gabu, to speak to some COWLHA women. On the journey, we drove past the flooded crops, crumbling houses and even some flood victim camps that are still so crowded that they have been unable to house everyone. So by the time we got to the village it finally dawned on us why the Malawian President called the flooding this year a state of natural disaster. Even the national volunteers did not realise that the floods had affected people so drastically. Our national volunteer Gloria Manjomo says that, “this year we have received heavier rains than other years so it has affected more people.”
In Solijani, we arrived at the school where displaced families were living. Each day (if they were lucky) the villagers received only two cups of maize flour and one bag of soya pieces for their whole family. A family could have between two to seven plus members. This particular aid was given to them by an Islamic organisation. According to the COWLHA member we interviewed, this organisation had been the only group to give her community anything. To some, two cups of flour is not even enough for one meal.
COWLHA member, Sofia, holding her bag of maize flour and soya pieces.
COWLHA is not an aid organisation, therefore as ICS volunteers we support COWLHA by documenting case studies and interviewing members about what is happening on the ground. Sofia Vizalona lost everything she owned from her crops to her house as a result of the flooding. The floods have changed her life and, like many flood victims, she has been unable to move on because she cannot afford to buy maize seeds to start over or buy bricks to rebuild her house. She is living in very congested conditions, which is a potential hub for disease. We have heard that in the district west of ours, there has already been an outbreak of cholera. These crowded conditions have been detrimental to the health of so many flood victims and more especially those living with HIV and AIDS, as it has been preventing many of those that have not disclosed their status from taking their ARVs (life prolonging medicine for those living with HIV). They are afraid of being discriminated against if people see them taking their drugs.
In the afternoon, COWLHA women took us to their village. Due to poor road conditions, our minibus got stuck. We walked three hours in total; walking in deep mud and extreme heat. The COWLHA women have to walk long distances every time they go to get their ARVs because doctors refuse to go to them due to them being too “rural”. Going on this walk allowed us to really appreciate how difficult it is for these women.
On our walk, Chief Matabwa accompanied us. He told us stories about those in his village that have been affect by the flooding. The story that struck me the most was one of a family of four being rescued in a canoe by the waves that swept away his whole village. The canoe capsized and was swept away along with the parents. The children got stuck in a nearby tree, which is the reason the Chief thought that the children survived and were eventually rescued. Unfortunately, the bodies of the parents have not yet been found and even more unfortunately these children are not the only ones orphaned by this disaster.
It seems easy for some to be reading about the floods in Malawi and just think of it as another natural disaster. However, for those who have become desensitised to these issues, it is important to remember that within these disasters there are people, families and children whose lives have been ripped apart by the floods. Witnessing it first-hand has allowed the ICS volunteers here in Chikhwawa to learn about individual stories and has prompted all of us to donate.
The team has also visited Sammie’s Camp, a camp for those displaced by the floods in Nchalo. Women living with HIV gathered and Esnat, our Field Officer, gave them a talk about the importance of taking their ARVs and encouraged those who are not open about their status. Some people were not taking their drugs because it is too public. ARVs are hard drugs and taken without enough food can cause problems. While interviewing more COWLHA members, they told us that they were only eating once a day at the most.
We all decided to buy five bags of maize and 100 packets of soya pieces to donate to women (and others) living with HIV. We took the maize to the mill and worked as a team to grind the maize into flour. In the end, we were able to donate enough to feed people for several weeks on top of the food they are given from different groups. Esnat invited a radio journalist to join us so that he could witness what was happening on the ground. She urged donors to monitor where their aid is going as there have been complaints that aid is being left and not delivered.
Overall, this experience has taught me that even though helping those affected by the flooding is a big task, doing something as little as donating 250kg of maize flour and 100 packets of soya pieces helped many people. So no matter how little or big a contribution we make to help those suffering, it could be the difference in someone’s life.
Photography: Team COWLHA Walero
