NSANJE, Malawi — The Catholic Development Commission in Malawi (CADECOM) has provided unconditional cash transfers and fortified flour to 1,000 food-insecure households in Nsanje District as part of efforts to help communities cope with the ongoing food crisis.
The assistance is being implemented with financial support from the Scottish Government through the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund (SCIAF), which has committed £200,000 to support 3,100 households in the districts of Chikwawa, Nkhotakota and Lilongwe Rural.
Under the initiative, each beneficiary household receives MK100,000 in unconditional cash support and a 10-kilogram bag of fortified corn and soy blend flour to help meet the nutritional needs of children under the age of five.
Speaking during the distribution exercise at Traditional Authority Ndamera in Nsanje, His Lordship Peter Musikuwa, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Chikwawa expressed gratitude to SCIAF and the Scottish Government for the timely support.
“We are very thankful for the assistance. This support means a lot to the families and will help them cope with the lean season until they are able to harvest,” said Musikuwa.
He urged beneficiaries to prioritise buying food for their households, especially for children, noting that the fortified flour will help reduce cases of malnutrition.
The Bishop added that the initiative complements efforts by the Malawi Government to improve household nutrition across the country.
Director of the Social Development Directorate at the Malawi Conference of Catholic Bishops, Fr Patrick Kamba, encouraged beneficiaries to use the cash responsibly and report any form of abuse by local leaders or spouses.
Officials from the Nsanje District Disaster Risk Management Office and other representatives from the district council also attended the distribution exercise.
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