February 2022

Kia Ora everyone. I can’t believe it is February already and 2022 is well on its way, with a busy start for Mphatikizo. While the world comes to grips with living with Covid, our community in Liwonde has experienced the harsh realities of climate change, with another year of late rains, followed by extreme flooding. With most families being subsistence farmers, this can have devastating effects on food supply which, when combined with the added burden of replacing or repairing flood damaged housing, can be the last straw.

Pre-Covid, Mphatikizo and our friends from Methven commenced a habitat improvement project for the community here in Mtubwe, building one two-bedroom house and reroofing others. In the long term, this kind of assistance is very much the way forward, but at present is not possible. These extreme weather events appear to be occurring on a yearly basis and, when combined with deforestation and years of mono culture, their effects leave already marginalised communities broken. Late rains mean crops planted as a food/income source fail to germinate. Those they manage to save are destroyed by the eventual rain, when it arrives, in the form of flooding.

All buildings attended to during our habitat improvement project suffered no ill effects and, currently, this remains one of our long term solutions to the sub-standard housing. However, for the present, at Mphatikizo we are continuing to support households in the surrounding communities with temporary repairs to housing, emergency accommodation, food/medical assistance, and giving blankets and sleeping mats to families in need. Currently, we have three families utilizing the orphanage as emergency housing and are asking for any donations to help with purchasing plastic sheets for repairs to roofs and the giving of blankets, mats and food parcels to displaced families. These pictures are not from our community but our neighbours in Machinga.

As of writing this, I am watching news coverage of the invasion of Ukraine. Unfortunately, it reminds you how fragile life is for many the world over and how fortunate we are here in New Zealand. In times that continue to be uncertain, we are so thankful to those who continue to support us and these communities in Malawi. I will finish this with some pictures of a couple of our kids at the feeding centre. If ever you need some encouragement and ask that question – Why do we do it? or Are we really making a difference? Look at these pictures. Stay safe and many thanks. Love and Hugs