Lilongwe – The U.S. Government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), is supporting flood-affected communities through an additional $1.1 million (approximately 900 million MWK) in new funding. Since January, the U.S. Government has provided a total of more than $1.2 million (approximately 980 million MWK) in international disaster assistance funding to help meet the needs of communities affected by Cyclones Ana and Gombe.
President Lazarus Chakwera and USAID Administrator Samantha Power discussed the new funding in their recent meeting in Washington D.C., during which they also spoke about the need for strengthening resilience in the face of climate change and continued collaboration to advance Malawi 2063.
With the additional assistance, USAID is working with Catholic Relief Services, CARE International, and Malawi’s Department of Disaster Management Affairs to provide shelter, water, and sanitation and hygiene supplies to more than 8,620 households displaced by flooding. USAID is also partnering with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to distribute nearly 1 million water purification tablets to storm-affected populations.
The new funding from the U.S. government builds on the $100,000 (81 million MWK) that was rapidly mobilized in response to President Lazarus Chakwera’s declared state of disaster and request for donor assistance in January. Other ongoing USAID projects are also providing essential health services and livelihood opportunities for Malawians in affected districts.
About USAID:
USAID is the lead U.S. government agency for international development and disaster assistance. In Malawi, USAID partners with the national government to advance a more self-reliant Malawi that is gender-equitable and democratically accountable.
For more information, visit www.usaid.gov/malawi.
