Cyclone Freddy Emergency Relief

Last weekend Malawi was hit by tropical cyclone Freddy, the strongest on record, which has wreaked widespread devastation including more than 400 dead. Freddy struck in and around the Blantyre area where Joshua is based along with the communities that we support. The scale of the destruction is greater than originally expected. UNICEF estimate at least 280,000 children have been affected.

Our Malawi team have started to reach communities with emergency supplies and we are continuing to assess the impact to homes, childcare centres and local infrastructure.

Please give what you can to our ongoing appeal.

The latest figures as of 18 March from United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) are as follows:

- At least 438 deaths reported, 918 people injured and 282 missing as of 17 March, according to authorities.

- Nearly 345,200 people are displaced and sheltering in over 500 camps across flood-affected areas, where the risk of cholera is high.

- The extent of flooding appeared to increase between 14 and 17 March 2023, according to new satellite imagery.

- Search and rescue operations are continuing, with more than 1,000 people evacuated by 17 March.

- Government-led relief efforts are ongoing across multiple districts, with support from humanitarian partners. Schools—which are housing many displaced people—are a focal point of the response.

Our Community Based Childcare Centres (CBCC’s) continue to be a much needed place of refuge, with people collecting supplies and using the stoves and pots to make food. We have been delivering maize, soya flour, tap buckets, soap and water guard treatment to help with the essentials of food, clean water and sanitation.

Thank you to everyone who has so far donated, your generous help and support means we can reach as many people as possible. This is just the beginning of a long road to recovery for many and so any further help is, as always, truly appreciated.