CYCLONE FREDDY: Mary’s Meals donates 40 metric tonnes of Likuni Phala

By Memory Chatonda

Blantyre, March 20, Mana: Mary’s Meal Malawi has donated 40 metric tonnes of Corn-Soya Blend (Likuni Phala) worth K35 million to Malawi government as one way of supporting the survivors of Tropical cyclone Freddy in the country’s ten most affected districts.

Speaking during the symbolic handover of the Likuni Phala on Monday in Blantyre, Mary’s Meals Country Director Angella Chipeta Khonje said the gesture is in response to the appeal made by President Lazarus Chakwera to all stakeholders to support the affected households with basic needs including food.

“This is our initial response and we are targeting at least 24, 000 people that are in campsites within the Mary’s Meals working area. However, we are still conducting some assessments with the Ministry of Education to identify the gaps in order to beef up support,” she said.

In her remarks, Ministry of Education Madalitso Kambauwa Wirima commended Mary’s Meals, as one of the stakeholders in the School Feeding Programme, that has quickly responded with the donation to support those highly affected.

“We all know that Likuni phala is very nutritious. It will boost the energy of not only adults but children as well, in the camps where this porridge flour will be distributed.

“I applaud Mary’s Meals for the commendable job it is doing of feeding over one  million children in the Primary schools and Early Education Centres in the country. School Meals provision ensures improved education outcomes thereby leading to the attainment of the 2^nd and 4^th Sustainable Development Goals,” she said.

The Minister then advised the camp management committees to make sure that the donated Likuni Phala is used for its intended purpose.

She also appealed to different well-wishers to emulate Mary’s Meals gesture which she said, is in line with the ongoing Operation Tigwirane Manja campaign being championed by Malawi’s President Chakwera.