Malawi Red Cross Society with support from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Society Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF) on Wednesdaysday distributed items and cash support worth K135million to 336 Mozambican asylum seekers who fled their country due to post election violence and are still at Nyamithuthu Camp, but under a process to either go back home or attain a refugee status.
The distributed items included Blankets, Buckets, Kitchen set, dignity kits, Solar lumps and sleeping mats.
“My name is Zabeni Soza, I arrived here at Nyamithuthu camp on December 23rd 2024 with my grandchildren. Red Cross has been with us giving us various items and today they have even given us more to take with us wherever we will go. This is love”. Said 50-year-old Soza.
Another asylum seeker Alberto James said” Red Cross is a good organization, that it can still support us to have something when we leave this place, we are very thankful.
The two represent hundreds who Red Cross has left a mark with its Humanitarian assistance after the Department for Refugees requested Humanitarian actors to resume support of the remaining 336 asylum seekers after the first process of repatriation was completed.
“MalawiRedCross has been one key partner ever since this camp was established. They eased our operations together with other partners, and here they are, still supporting the families with Cash and non-food items” said Hilda Katema Senior Administrative and Operations Manager in the Department of Refugees. MRCS Director of Programs and Development Gloria Kunyenga said it is MRCS obligation to support people who are facing humanitarian crisis.
“MRCS has been here at Nyamithuthu camp for the past 4 months to help and support the asylum seekers, through the staff and volunteers, and despite others returning home, some are still here under asylum seekers status who needs continuous support like that of a start-up package, as the Department of Refugees plans to close the camp.
Since the Mozambican asylum seekers arrived in Nsanje in December 2024, MRCS has provided Restoring Family Links services, Supported Clearing, designing of the camp set up and pitching of all the tents, distributed Cash, non-food items and now it will support decommissioning of the camp and closing activities.
