AFRICA/MALAWI - Bishops offer support to flood victims

Saturday, 13 April 2019 bishops   natural catastrophe   caritas  

Lilongwe (Agenzia Fides) – “We are here to stand with you to fulfill our duty to help those in need” said His Excellence Monsignor Thomas Luke Msusa, Archbishop of Blantyre and President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Malawi (ECM), during an ECM delegation visit of victims of the floods caused by cyclone IDAI in March.
After speaking with the people sheltered at the evacuation camps for Makina, Matiya and Mwalija, Mons. Msusa said “Our Bishops understand the struggle that the people are experiencing. Consequently, we have asked the partners of the Catholic Development Commission - Aid to the Church in Need, Cordaid, Sign of Hope, Caritas Australia and Caritas Korea by way of Caritas Internationalis to help us in a way that allows us to help the flood victims. We are truly grateful because with their help, we are able to resolve some of problems you are facing”
Thanks to the resources already available, the Bishops Conference through the Catholic Development Commission (CADECOM) will build 450 houses, 150 for each of the districts hit hardest by the floods: Zomba, Chikwawa and Phalombe. As part of the project the plan is to supply potable water through the drilling of local wells.
The floods have claimed at least 57 victims while close to one million people have been affected by the aftermath of heavy storms (of which half a million are children) in 14 districts. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 13/4/2019)


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