Malawi Red Cross Society (MRCS) and the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) have jointly launched the Floods response operation for the return of Internary Displaced Persons (IDPs).

Speaking on Saturday at Thundu Camp in Chikwawa District, Minister of Homeland Security Nicholas Dausi commended Malawi Red Cross for tirelessly supporting the Floods survivors. Dausi thanked MRCS for coming up with a full return package that will enable the IDPS leave the camps and return home and reconstruct houses on the higher areas.

MRCS President Levison Changole said Malawi Red Cross is very committed to see that the IDPs leave the camps as soon as possible and go back to build better houses that are resilient to Disasters such as Floods and strong winds. He said that the joint response operation has targeted 14,000 households in the five districts of Chikwawa, Phalombe, Mulanje, Nsanje and Zomba.

Within the return package MRCS will distribute Tarpaulins, Sleeping Mats, Kitchen sets, Buckets, tablets of Soap, Shelter tool kit, Chlorine and ORS and dignity kit, while DODMA will distribute Maize (50kg bags), Blankets, Soya Pieces, Beans, Mosquito nets, Cooking Oil and seed.

Changole thanked DFID, EU-ECHO, WFP, UNICEF, International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), Danish, Swiss, Netherlands and Belgian Red Cross Societies and Local partners that include Toyota Malawi, NBS Banks, John Hopkins Research Project Malawi and Minet Insurance company for the support.

Apart from the Non Food Items that MRCS is distributing, MRCS is constructing 170 Transitional Shelters in the three districts of Chikwawa, Phalombe and Nsanje.

Speaking after touring the Transitional Shelters MRCS has constructed at Mwalija village, Minister Dausi said the initiative is very good. He appealed to other organizations to emulate the gesture the Malawi Red Cross has demonstrated.

Paramount Chief Lund of Chikwawa advised his subjects to leave the camp once they receive the items. He warned them not to sell the items received but to put them to good use.

Meanwhile the Malawi Red Cross Society has launched an appeal with the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies that focus on WASH, Shelter and Livelihood.