Catholic Archdiocese of Lilongwe Launches Flood Relief Project in Nkhotakota and Dowa

At the launch ceremony on Friday, 27th December 2024 at Sanjala Area in Dwangwa, Nkhotakota, Auxiliary Bishop of Lilongwe, Right Reverend Vincent Mwakhwawa emphasized the church’s commitment to supporting those facing hardship.

Bishop Mwakhwawa emphasized the act of giving as an expression of Christian love and compassion, urging recipients to share with those in need and cultivate a spirit of justice and generosity within their communities.

His Lordship acknowledges that while the aid is significant, it may not be sufficient for everyone and encourages recipients to prioritize those in greatest need.

“We know this relief, or these food items are not enough for everyone. So, I want them to share, to invite others to eat together the food that they’re going to prepare from these relief items.” Said Bishop Mwakhwawa. “And I encourage them also to be just in their hearts. If they know that there’s someone within the community who is struggling, has no food, let them share.”

Bishop Mwakhwawa highlights that the assistance goes beyond immediate relief as the project includes providing seeds for resilient crops like cassava, sweet potatoes, and fruit trees to enable families to become self-sufficient and improve their livelihoods through agriculture.

Madalitso Chilalire, Archdiocesan Secretary for the Catholic Development Commission (CADECOM), explained that the project aims to empower communities to recover and adapt to future challenges through sustainable agricultural practices.

Chilalire says the focus is on building long-term resilience by providing training in good agricultural practices, distributing drought-resistant crops, fruit trees (mangoes), and agroforestry trees to enhance food security and diversify livelihoods.

“The food items are once off and then some good agro-practice training to the farmers is good,” he said.

Teresa Kawombe, a beneficiary, expressed gratitude to Missio Austria and the Archdiocese of Lilongwe for the food aid, noting the impact of the floods earlier this year.

She expressed confidence that the aid would provide sustained support and prevent the need to sell portions of it.

Food relief items such as 50KGs Bag of Maize, 2 litres of Cooking Oil, Beans and Soya Flour were distributed to the beneficiaries.

The six-month project (December 2024 to June 2025), funded by Missio Austria in response to a request from Archbishop George Tambala, and contributions from local Catholics, will be implemented in two areas: Madisi Parish in Dowa and St. Barnabas Parish in Nkhotakota.