Mataya (right) donates a bag of maize flour to one of the survivors

Members of staff of United General Insurance (UGI) mobilized themselves to contribute and buy both food and non-food items worth K1.5 million which were donated to Cyclone Freddy survivors in Chilomoni Township in Blantyre on Wednesday.

UGI Human Resources and Administration Manager Katija Mataya said as members of staff they were touched with the hardships the survivors of Cyclone Freddy were going through and decided to help them to ease the pain the cyclone caused.

“We feel sorry for these people, most of them have lost their property and their loved ones in a blink of an eye. That is why as staff members, we organized ourselves to contribute financial and material resources to help our brothers and sisters as they start to rebuild their lives,” said Mataya.

Mataya helps a woman carry her bag of maize flour

Some of the items that were donated at Mulunguzi and Lumbila camps include maize flour, sugar, salt, cooking oil and some clothes.

Ward Councillor for Chilomoni Phillip Kameta thanked UDG members of staff for the gesture saying about four people were washed away with water and only one body has been recovered.

“We appreciate your help to alleviate the suffering of these people. We are really humbled that this help has come out of your kind hearts as members of staff of UGI, we are grateful for this gesture,” said Kameta.

Mataya (left) symbolically donates maize flour to Councillor Kameta

Mulunguzi Primary School evacuation camp is keeping 38 displaced families while Lumbila Primary School evacuation camp is hosting 16 displaced families.

One of the survivors who is at Mulunguzi camp Rose Chiwalanga,45, said she managed to rescue all her five children to safety but lost her house and property which was swept away by the raging waters.

“We really need help to rebuild our lives, I used to do a banana selling business and would like to be helped so that I must build another house and restart my business,” said Chiwalanga.

Cyclone Freddy has claimed lives of more than 900 people and displaced thousands of people in the southern region of the country and President Lazarus Chakwera declared a State of Disaster in the southern region and called for international and local support to help the survivors as they try to rebuild their lives. 

A young boy carries maize flour donated by UGI staff members at Mulunguzi camp in Chilomoni

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