Mkango Resources’ team led by Country Director Burton Kachinjika provided relief items worth 35 million Malawian Kwacha to 16 villages in the Mauze ward.
The aid comprised 715 twelve kg sacks of Soya pieces, 663 twenty-five kg sacks of Maize flour, and 715 rolls of plastic sheeting. The area had suffered landslides and storm damage, rendering people destitute by washing away their homes and livestock.
Mkango Resources has a long-standing commitment to supporting the local communities with educational, farming, employment, and infrastructure projects totalling 137 million Malawian Kwacha over the last 13 years. Kachinjika reiterated the company’s belief that a friend in need is a friend indeed, and they have established excellent relationships with the communities they serve.
The damage caused by Cyclone Freddy highlights the critical significance of conserving trees on hills and mountainsides and within river catchment areas of Malawi for firewood and charcoal. Deforestation is a serious problem not only for the Phalombe district but for the entire country. Without the presence of forests and woodlands that help bind the soil together, strong rainy-season storms can cause severe soil erosion.
Kachinjika emphasized the need for collaborative efforts and urged the community to take heed of their previous warnings. They had advised the Chiefs and Phalombe District Commissioner that trees should not be cut down on hillsides and mountainsides, but their advice was not heeded. To prevent future disasters, Kachinjika suggested that everyone should plant more trees.
Dennis Namachekecha, the Member of Parliament for the area, expressed his appreciation for Mkango’s support, which he believed would aid beneficiaries in rebuilding their lives.
He called for more urgent support from NGOs and other stakeholders who specialize in helping communities to rebuild their lives and move out of emergency camps, which are often located in local school facilities. This would allow school classes and lessons to resume, Namachekecha explained.
He expressed his gratitude to Mkango for their swift response and urged other well-wishers and NGOs to help the people of Phalombe East as well. Mkango had also assisted the communities earlier this year with 30 bee hives as an income-generating activity and a means of addressing deforestation.
In July 2022, Mkango Resources Limited concluded its definitive feasibility studies and received an approved ESHIA from the Malawi Government in January 2023.
The company eagerly anticipates receiving a Mining Development Agreement and Mining license from the Malawian government in the coming weeks to begin further development. This development would assist in further uplifting the economy of the communities in Phalombe and throughout the nation of Malawi.
