Feature: China's aid helps Malawians rebuild lives after Cyclone Idai

Ruth Millias (front) fetches water at Kaleso Village in Malawi's southern Nsanje District, Aug. 28, 2024. (United Nations Children's Fund/Handout via Xinhua)

China's aid following Cyclone Idai in 2019 significantly helped Malawians rebuild their lives, providing essential relief and health training that enhanced resilience in affected communities.

BLANTYRE, Malawi, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- The painful memories of the catastrophic floods caused by Tropical Cyclone Idai remain vivid for 30-year-old Ruth Millias, a resident of Kaleso Village in Malawi's southern Nsanje District.

"The floods took everything from my family and changed our lives completely," recalled Millias, a mother of three. "China's disaster relief assistance gave us hope to rebuild our lives after the disaster."

Malawi, known as the "Warm Heart of Africa" for its mild climate and friendly people, faced severe hardship in March 2019 when Cyclone Idai, one of the most devastating weather-related disasters to hit the Southern Hemisphere in decades, ravaged the country's southern regions.

According to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), nearly one million people in Malawi were affected by the floods, with about half of them being children. The disaster destroyed homes and schools, disrupted education, and washed away crops. Water and sanitation facilities were also severely damaged, cutting off access to clean water.

Millias's hometown, Kaleso, was among the hardest-hit areas, forcing her and her family to seek refuge at Bangula Camp, a temporary shelter for flood victims, where they lived for several months.

Following the disaster, the Chinese government promptly sent emergency humanitarian aid to Malawi, providing food and financial support for flood relief. China also played a key role in post-disaster reconstruction, helping displaced families return to their homes.

To further assist affected families, China contributed one million U.S. dollars to UNICEF Malawi through the South-South Cooperation Fund. This aid, distributed from October 2019 to May 2021, was directed toward critical programs in child health, nutrition, and water, sanitation and hygiene. The funding provided food, nutrition supplies, iron and folic acid supplements for adolescent girls, child protection services, educational materials, and training for both disaster victims and healthcare workers.

Ruth Millias (2nd R) sits in front of her house with her family in Kaleso Village in Malawi's southern Nsanje District, Aug. 28, 2024. (United Nations Children's Fund/Handout via Xinhua)

At Bangula Camp, Millias's family received essentials like soybeans, flour, mosquito nets, soap, water buckets and water treatment chemicals. "The Chinese aid arrived at just the right time, giving us the support we needed to rebuild our lives," she said.

Today, Millias has returned to Kaleso Village, where she temporarily lives in a house provided by neighbors. The village has been rebuilt, with simple brick homes now standing on the once flood-ravaged land.

During a recent visit, Millias was busy cleaning her home, which, though worn, was tidy and well-organized. Buckets and dishes were neatly arranged in the kitchen corner. "These buckets and the mosquito net in the bedroom were part of the Chinese aid. Without them, we would not have made it through," she said.

After cleaning, Millias washed her hands with soap before preparing lunch. Thanks to a health training program launched by China and UNICEF, she learned how to store clean drinking water, wash hands properly, use mosquito nets to prevent malaria, and maintain hygiene, practices that have become part of her daily routine. "These habits will help us better cope with future disasters," she added.

In Nsanje's Therere Village, 20-year-old Mika John and her family also suffered greatly from the floods. She and her husband, both subsistence farmers, lost their crops and were left with diminished food supplies. Their newborn son, Laymon Mandela, became severely malnourished.

John now lives in a modest but well-kept two-room house near the village entrance. During a recent visit, her five-year-old son played barefoot outside while she prepared a nutritious porridge made from maize, vegetables, eggs and sugar.

Reflecting on her son's recovery, John said, "During my son's hospitalization, we received aid from China, including essential nutritional supplies crucial for his recovery."

Mika John (R) prepares lunch for her family at home in Therere Village in Malawi's southern Nsanje District, Aug. 27, 2024. (United Nations Children's Fund/Handout via Xinhua)

John also benefited from the health training program, which taught her how to prepare nutritious meals from simple ingredients and maintain hygiene.

"These skills and knowledge have made us much more resilient," John said. "Although the floods are behind us, the aid continues to make a difference."

Today, Mandela is healthy and attending a nearby nursery school. John and her husband now earn over 500 U.S. dollars annually from casual labor. "Thanks to China's aid, we have been able to rebuild our lives," she said.

According to UNICEF, with Chinese financial assistance, the agency managed community-based programs for acute malnutrition, benefiting over 4,100 children between six months and five years old. It also conducted malnutrition screenings for more than 390,000 children under five.

Marie Mtimabi, a health surveillance assistant in Therere Village, is one of the healthcare workers trained through the Chinese-funded program. She oversees the health of nearly 1,700 villagers, including more than 100 children under five. "The funding provided essential training and equipment, enhancing our capacity. This year alone, we have already identified three cases of child malnutrition," Mtimabi said.

China's support also enabled UNICEF to deliver water, sanitation and hygiene assistance to 12 flood-affected districts in Malawi, benefiting 200,000 people from 40,000 households. Additionally, over 80,000 children received educational materials and supplements, while more than 170,000 people gained access to basic healthcare services.

Gilbert Chapweteka, director of health and social services in Nsanje District, said China's support "came at the right time," helping rebuild water and sanitation systems.

It not only improved people's lives but also strengthened the community's resilience to future disasters, he added.

Griet Maritz, acting representative of UNICEF Malawi, emphasized the importance of the support from China and UNICEF in empowering disaster-prone communities. "The support we received from China has truly reached the people of Malawi, helping ensure a better life and a brighter future," he said.