The relief and development arm of the Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM), Catholic Development Commission in Malawi (CADECOM), recently distributed food and none food items to flood victims in Ntcheu, Dedza diocese.
Speaking during the distribution exercise at Traditional Authority Kwataine’s Madzanje Headquarters, Dedza Diocesan Secretary for CADECOM, Patrick Namakhoma said the distribution of the relief items follows the K 1 Billion national flood response that Catholic Bishops in Malawi launched at January Parish in the areas of Sub Traditional Authority Chimaliro and Traditional Authority Ngolongoliwa in Thyolo.
Namakhoma said that just like the Malawi nation was alarmed and grieved that thousands of people were displaced and rendered homeless, houses and crops destroyed and many more injured, the Catholic bishops saw the need for the Church to assist those affected, hence the CADECOM interventions.
Also adding his voice was the Vicar General for Dedza Diocese, Very Reverend Fr John Chithonje said, “In response to the flood disaster, the Bishop’s Conference in Malawi set aside the 8th February, 2015 as a special Sunday for the collections of relief items to support thousands of our brothers and sisters affected by the floods. Further to this, we dedicated all the collections for the AMECEA thanksgiving Mass on 31st January 2015 towards the support of the flood victims”.
For his part, Fr. Henry Chinkanda who represented the acting Secretary General of ECM at the function challenged those that received the relief items to appreciate in what the church has done to them by not selling the items rather use them accordingly.
District Commissioner for Ntcheu, Harry Phiri, commended CADECOM for remembering Ntcheu with the relief items. He said that despite the floods hitting the whole country, many organizations have been concentrated on a few districts that are regarded as the most hit, leaving aside districts like Ntcheu.
Phiri urged the Catholic Church through CADECOM to continue the charity activities, which is one way of complementing government’s effort in taking care of its citizenry. He challenged other organizations to emulate the king gesture as shown by CADECOM.
Elida Kumpukwe who is one of the victims to the floods as her house felt down due to heavy rains thereby rendering her and her six children homeless and they are currently sleeping in a kitchen commended CADECOM for alleviating some of the problems her family has been facing and urged CADECOM to do the same to other equally affected households.
So far CADECOM has distributed relief items like Cooking Oil, Maize, Pulses and clothes to 600 households in the area but the exercise is on-going.