Oxfam Malawi Appeal Boost
produce, the situation would be very different."
- Mazuzu Masanjala, Balaka district
Inverclyde is backing a call to raise awareness of a Malawi appeal by Oxfam Scotland.
And, the council is putting £10,000 into the fund and encouraging more members of the community to join in supporting the worthwhile cause.
The charity appeal, an emergency response, plans to reach 650,000 of the most vulnerable men, women and children in five districts with lifesaving assistance.
That assistance from Oxfam Scotland, would take the form of life-saving emergency food assistance, protection of livelihoods and prevention of irreversible negative coping strategies so that people build resilience to cope in future.
Inverclyde Council Leader, Councillor Stephen McCabe, said: “Malawi experienced flooding and drought last year and then entered this year's second period of severe drought due to El Nino. The unpredictable weather has delayed usual planting cycles, leading to poor agricultural production and permanent wilting of crops.
“While we may live many thousands of miles from Malawi, we are neighbours and where we can help, we should. Our schools already have built strong partnerships with young people in Malawi. Not only does this help people in Malawi during difficult times, it also helps encourage our young people to see themselves as global citizens.
“I would urge residents to give what they can to support this enormously worthwhile appeal”
Key Facts:
- Southern Africa is facing its worst drought in 35 years.
- This year Malawi has had 60% less rainfall compared with the average
- Maize and rice production is 42% lower than in the 2013/14 season
- The price of maize is currently 137% higher than the five year average
- Over 6.5m people are facing food shortages. Over 950,000 of whom are children under the age of two
- 4.7m people are in need of direct food assistance
- 1.7m people are in need of financial aid
- Cholera cases 1,172 in late march 2016 with 30 reported deaths.
Source: Oxfam Monthly Monitoring Report April 2016.
Visit www.oxfam.org.uk/scotland to find out how to support the Oxfam Scotland Malawi emergency response.
The Inverclyde Malawi Schools’ Partnership has been running since 2007 and links schools in Inverclyde with schools in the Chiradzulu district in Malawi.
Thanks to generous donations, the partnership has this week distributed £100 to each of the 14 Inverclyde partnership schools involved in the project. The aim of the donation is that schools will use the funds to support a resource or project at their partner school in Malawi during session 2016-17.
Inverclyde Council’s Education and Communities Convener, Councillor Terry Loughran, said: “Our schools have worked well over nearly ten years with schools in Malawi. This latest donation is a very welcome one and again gives our young people the chance to see the good work that can be done in a country which doesn’t have its problems to seek. Our young people in their actions show that they take on the role of global citizens and that a partnership spanning many thousands of miles can be beneficial in Malawi and right here in Inverclyde.”
Last session the Inverclyde partner schools supported a wide range of projects including installing solar and mains electricity, provision of clean water, supporting feeding programmes, supply of curriculum resources and sports equipment, building classrooms and teachers' houses, purchase of library books and resources, repairing extensive storm damage to Limbe High - and the formation of the Malawi branch of the Greenock Morton Supporters' Club.