The National Economic Empowerment Fund Limited (NEEF) on Saturday donated relief items to people affected by floods at Njeleza Camp in TA Kasisi in the Lower Shire District of Chikwawa.
According to NEEF Board Chairperson Jephta Mtema, the donation was a response to the State President, His Excellency Lazarus Chakwera declaration of State of National Disaster following the Tropical Storm ANA, which caused heavy flooding in several districts in the country, especially in the Southern Region due to heavy rainfall and strong winds and affected more approximately 280,000 people in Chikwawa alone.
“NEEF as a Corporate citizen felt duty-bound to give a little in alleviating the plight of people here in Chikwawa that have been displaced by the floods.
“From our meager resources, we spared K4.4 million with which we have bought 100 blankets, 100 bags of maize flour of 20 Kgs each, and 100 units of washing soap to 100 families to promote hygiene in the camps”, said Mtema.
Njeleza Camp houses 146 displaced people and Oliva Gemu is one of the people that got NEEF’s loans and repaid before the floods displaced her.
She expressed gratitude for the donation but asked the Fund to consider giving them loans so that their lives can return to normality.
On this, Mtema said the Fund will consider giving top-up loans to loyal customers that have been affected by the floods. For those that had not started repaying the loans before the floods hit, the NEEF Board Chair said the Fund will consider giving them a grace period.
Giving is not about making a donation but making a difference. It is, therefore expected that NEEF’s little gift will make a huge difference in the lives of the people affected by the floods as most of them at the camp sleep on an empty stomach and some cooked pumpkin leaves without a floor to make Nsima.
