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Malawi National Council of Sports Board chairperson, Sunduzwayo Madise has appealed to the public to contribute towards alleviating plight of Cyclone Freddy flood disaster survivors, saying the magnitude of their suffering is unprecedented.

He said this on Monday after presenting a K5 million cheque to the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) in the office of the President & Cabinet to go towards assisting the flash flood disaster survivors in the Southern Region.

Madise took note that their contribution “is not much but felt the need that whatever little can be of significance”, adding that they “felt it was obligatory on our part to help”.

“It’s not a lot of money but it’s what we can afford at the current period,” he said. “We are hoping that our affiliates can also contribute — including individuals like myself.

“The survivors are suffering — I had the chance to visit Mulanje and it was disheartening to witness what they are going through. Let’s all contribute with any little we can afford to alleviate the suffering they are going through.”

On Sunday, golfers at Blantyre Sports Club — trending as Chip Inn Masters — engaged the Malawi Red Cross Society to reach out to survivors camped at at Montfort Demonstration Primary School in the compound of Catholic University in Nguludi in Chiradzulu District, an area which was not spared of disaster but little is known about it.

The Chip Inn Masters was formed a camaraderie grouping that was enhanced further by initiating an annual charity drive — through which they identify a project they can assist every year.

Soon after cyclone Freddy struck, they swiftly mobilized funds that totalled K2 million to assist survivors of the flash floods that devastated the Southern Region.

And having noted that concentration of alleviating the plight of survivors is for Blantyre City, more especially Chilobwe and Ndirande — where many lives were lost and houses were washed away — the Chip Inn Masters engaged the Malawi Red Cross Society, which identified Nguludi.

The grouping’s Master-in-Charge, Nestor Msowoya said they first wished to present the cheque to the Malawi Red Cross Society but they changed their mind and decided to assist the Society by procuring the food supplies themselves and distribute directly.

The evacuation camp’s leader, Grace Filipo said at first they had over 200 people, some of whom their houses didn’t immediately collapsed but just evacuated for safety’s sake.

Some returned to the homesteads but are going back to the camp as their houses continued to collapse further — thus she appealed for more assistance such as provision of water buckets, kitchen utensils as well as plastic sheeting to elect temporary toilets.

Meanwhile, Electricity Generation Company (EGENCO) donated K10 million worth of assorted relief items to DoDMA of food and non-food items which include maize flour, Likuni phala, Vaseline, toilet paper and soya pieces, among others.

A report on DoDMA Facebook page quoted Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Energy, Engineer Alfonso Chikuni as saying it was of paramount importance that companies, organisations and individuals of goodwill join hands in responding to President Lazarus Chakwera’s call for assistance.

EGENCO Chief Executive Officer, William Liabunya said the situation is dire and efforts being made by companies in reaching out to the affected people are a huge relief to the country.