Author name: IT Admin

Portland Cement Malawi reaffirmed their commitment to supporting the recovery of communities affected by cyclone Freddy with a cement donation worth MK10 million to Habitat for Humanity Malawi. The donation was made at Njema Court in Group Village Headman Mdala in Traditional Authority Njema, Mulanje district. The Chief Executive Officer for Portland Cement Malawi Limited Mr. Jianguo Liu said that when Cyclone Freddy hit most parts of the Southern Region, Portland Cement immediately mobilized some resources from staff and the company donated some foodstuff to one of the camps in Blantyre. However, we identified the need for a long-term sustainable solution to assist the most vulnerable victims who had not only lost their homes and property but most sadly their loved ones. It is on this basis that Portland Cement sought partnership with Habitat for Humanity Malawi with whom we have a shared vision to construct durable housing. The Housing Officer for Mulanje District Council, Ms. Lois Kavuta, representing the District Commissioner said while the housing crisis in the district is huge, every support towards housing will eventually lead to an end of the housing deficit and bring a positive outcome of providing a roof over the head of as many Malawians as possible. She disclosed that cyclone Freddy affected over 11,000 people in Mulanje district alone. Traditional Authority Njema was the most hit area and 97 families completely lost their houses are still living in destitution. Anock Kapira, National Director for Habitat for Humanity Malawi expressed his profound gratitude to Portland Cement Malawi Limited for donating 760 bags of cement towards the construction of resilient houses for the disaster affected families in Mulanje district. The National Director disclosed that this support will enable Habitat for Humanity Malawi to build 13 resilient houses for the disaster affected families in Traditional Authority Njema in the district. “This donation will enable us provide 13 disaster resilient houses to families that are currently deprived of secure shelter”. The national director called upon many corporates in the country to consider partnering with Habitat for Humanity Malawi in its efforts to build strength, stability, and self-reliance through shelter. Habitat for Humanity Malawi has in the recent years constructed disaster resilient houses in Zomba, Phalombe, Chikwawa and Nsanje districts when cyclone Idai hit the country. Portland Cement Malawi is one of the manufacturers of cement in the country and produces DuraCrete, SupaSet, Kumanga and Khoma.

Through the Water, Sanitation and Hygeiene (WASH) project implemented in Lilongwe, Habitat for Humanity Malawi has supported communities to assess the effectiveness, quality, and impact of project and services they are receiving from the organization. Habitat for Humanity regularly meets these monitoring committees to get feedback on their impression of the success and challenges they may have observed during the implementation of the project. Such one meeting was conducted in Traditional Authority Masumbankhunda in Lilongwe where Habitat for Humanity Malawi is providing safe water and sanitation facilities to the communities. The project is funded by the Federal Ministry For Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and partly by Habitat for Humanity Germany.   Considering the benefits of this working arrangement, the Project Officer narrated the value observed in involving the communities in monitoring their projects.   Tryness Banda had this to say, “Every three months, we meet with the community-based monitoring committees to collect the data forms and learn from them the project’s best practices and areas that need improvement. The involvement of the community in project monitoring improves accountability and transparency in the implementation of the project. The information about the project is easily accessed by the community. This has improved the commitment of the community towards the project. When we have challenges, we quickly and collectively solve them. Furthermore, the establishment of these community-based committees has helped to build the capacities of members of the communities to monitor projects, thereby promoting their ownership over projects”. Tryness Banda, WASH project Officer for BMZ funded project in Lilongwe. So far, the project has drilled 16 new boreholes and rehabilitated 15 old boreholes in the 30 villages. The project has trained 60 community members that form part of the community-based monitoring committees within the project targeted communities.  Overall, the project interventions contribute towards the achievements of SDG 6 and the National Water Policy. The former ensures that everyone has access to water and sanitation and the latter advocates that every Malawian should have access to sufficient water of acceptable quality and sanitation facilities.  

Families provided with shelter following disasters attain a higher increased opportunities to recover from the effects of disasters than those who are not. The effects of Cyclone Freddy have created a housing deficit for over 800 thousand families in Malawi. Habitat for Humanity Malawi is appealing to government, developing partners, CSOs and individuals to make immediate investments in the provisions of housing to the disaster affected communities. Find out more on the effects of the Cyclone Freddy in Malawi and how you support a family through housing reconstruction by downloading the brochure on this link: Effects of Cyclone Freddy in Malawi – HFHM-Bronchure-April-2023.pdf #BuildBackBetterAndStronger Habitat for Humanity Africa United Nations Development Programme – UNDP UNDP Malawi UN-HABITAT Disaster Management Affairs in Malawi Ministry of Lands – Malawi Japan – The Government of Japan International Organization for Migration Malawi China

#CaravanOfHope Day 1: Story in Pictures Solidarity Visit to Nzedi Community Catholic Development Commission in Malawi -National Office Habitat for Humanity Malawi Tamba Africa Social Circus Muti Arts Exchange Malawi National Youth Network on Climate Change – NYNCC #CaravanOfHope #weareinthistogether

*** Standing Houses in Malawi  *** Yesterday we received some wonderful news from Malawi that we don’t want to withhold from you: “Shortly after Cyclone Freddy, Habitat for Humanity Malawi was able to survey 300 houses – funded by Germany after Cyclone Idai – with the help of the Regional Disaster Protection Committee: None of the houses show structural damage! Communities used the homes as rescue centers after the cyclone, and some people who have lost their homes completely are still housed in the homes. “

Civil Society Network on Climate Change – Cisonecc with support from Concern Worldwide Malawi, Trocaire and Christian Aid Malawi has organized a Press Briefing on the state of the 2023 Draft Disaster Risk Management (DRM) Bill which was circulated to Members of Parliament on 5th April 2023, pending to be taken to August House for deliberations this week. On Saturday, 8th April 2023, CISONECC with the partners held a Stakeholders Consultative Meeting with Parliamentarians on the Draft DRM Bill where the CSOs presented their amendments to the draft bill. During the press briefing, the CSOs are expected to share their key inputs to the 2023 Draft DRM Bill. Habitat for Humanity Malawi Association of Environmental Journalists in Malawi (AEJ-Malawi) Malawi Government DAPP Malawi

In July 2021, Habitat for Humanity (HFHM) with funding from the United Nation Development Programme (UNDP) implemented a Disaster Recovery Project which was aimed at supporting housing needs to families that were displaced by the impact of Cyclone ldai in Zomba and Phalombe Districts. The project received a grant from the Japanese and Chinese Governments and built 380 flood -resilient housing units for the most vulnerable disaster affected families. The project was implemented in 8 communities of Traditional Authorities Mwambo, Ngwelero, Chikowi and Malemia in Zomba and Nkhulambe, Jenala, Mkhumba and Kaduya in Phalombe. In 2023, after the effects of Cyclone Freddy, UNDP visited communities to appreciate the effects of the Cyclone Freddy on these houses and the article published by Nation News Paper on Tuesday April 4, 2023, carries it all. It is comforting to learn that these houses acted like mini rescue centers and hosted many more families who were displaced by Cyclone Freddy. Cyclones are investable but with safer housing construction guidelines, the effects of the disasters may be minimized on the housing units. Investing in resilient housing is one of the sustainable ways of capacitating communities prone to disasters. #BuildBackBetterandStronger! #buildbackbetter

Habitat for Humanity Malawi joined the Youth in Climate Change and Environmental Sector in delivering a petition to the Parliament of Malawi calling for the urgent tabling and enactment of the Disaster Risk Management (DRM) Bill during the current 50th parliament session. If the bill can be enacted into law, disasters may be inevitable but the extend of damage can be avoided! The petition was delivered in coalition with Malawi National Youth Network on Climate Change – NYNCC Jesuit Centre for Ecology and Development, Jesuit Centre for Ecology and Development, Malawi Human Rights Youth Network, Association of Environmental Journalists in Malawi, Initiative for Climate Action and Development, Go Green Save the Environment, Conserve with Benefit, Center for Community and Youth Development and Movement Environmental Action.

Today, 25 March 2025, Habitat for Humanity Malawi is convening with the Parliamentary Committee on Natural Resources and Climate Change to get updates on the progress of the enactment and finalization of the Disaster Risk Management (DRM) bill. Present at this meeting are Members of Parliament, representatives from the Ministry of Justice, Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA), Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST), Civil Society Network of Climate Change (CISONECC), Jesuit Center for Ecology and Sustainable Development (JSED), Concern World World and other stakeholders .