The following is excerpted from the Church Newsroom. To read the full article, CLICK HERE.
Throughout much of March 2023, people in Southeast Africa, including the people of Madagascar, Mozambique and Malawi, braced themselves as Cyclone Freddy — the longest-lasting tropical cyclone ever recorded at 36 days, impacted the region. Rainfall in the region totaled 400mm to 800 mm (16 to 31 inches). Flooding and mudslides swept away villages, destroying homes and crops. Public infrastructure such as schools, health facilities and main roads were damaged in Blantyre, the second-largest city in Malawi, and surrounding communities.
This natural disaster displaced over 80,000 households in southern Malawi and led to at least 1,000 deaths.
In the wake of this devastating cyclone, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints immediately went to work to provide tents, blankets, sleeping mats, mobile clinic services, mobile toilets, water treatment chemicals, maize, corn soya blend and cooking oil. The value of this donation is US$100,000. In collaboration with the Adventist Development and Relief Agency, supplies were delivered to provide relief.
After the intensity of the storm faded, President Chinomwe, a regional leader of the Church of Jesus Christ in the Blantyre District in Malawi, opened four meetinghouses to provide temporary shelter to over 230 community members who had lost their homes. He said that they did not distinguish between members and friends of the Church but accepted all in need until they reached capacity.
Church members provided food for those sheltered in the meetinghouses and volunteered by preparing and serving food in each of the four meetinghouses until humanitarian help arrived.
To read the full article, CLICK HERE.
