50 houses for cyclone Freddy survivors in Ndala

In March 2023, the longest and strongest tropical cyclone ever recorded swept through Madagascar, Mozambique and Malawi - did you hear about?  Cyclone Freddy lasted over a month and struck landfall three times.  It caused widespread devastation, including loss of life, homes and livelihoods.  In Malawi at least 1500 died in walls of mud.

I've been the volunteer CEO of a small international development charity (Medic to Medic) since 2014, with our main projects in Malawi. Cyclone Freddy killed a much loved member of our team in Blantyre.  Bertha, and her 14 year old daughter Bridget died on March 13th, when her home collapsed during the mudslides at Chilobwe.  

This is climate injustice.  People who've contributed the least to the climate emergency are paying the highest price.  Malawi should not have to bear the burden of the worlds climate greed.  It does not have the resilience to bear its challenges, let alone be a country that has contributed to the problem.

I have been in Malawi since March 2023 supporting our team and running small relief projects with our community ever since.  During this time I have become well acquainted with Ndala village on the Malawi Mozambique border in Mulanje.  We have run many projects here, including counselling, elderly care packages, antenatal packages, educational resources, public & reproductive health projects, sanitation, farming and small scale training.

1 in 4 people in Ndala village died.   Trauma on an unprecedented scale is present here.  The bodies were disposed of in a mass cremation. There weren't enough people to dig graves, not enough food for the grave diggers and not enough land to bury the dead.  No help came.

Spirits cling in the air here.  

There is no running water.  

There is no electricity.  

150 families remain homeless.  They have been given plastic sheets to make temporary shelters...no tents, minimal food.  They need houses.  And they need them before the next rainy season comes.  The need is vast in this community alone.  No one is coming.  And this is one of the most badly affected areas.

The community is 40 minutes away by motorbike from the main road.  I spent a night here in June, despite having visited many times before.  I wanted to live their challenges, to hear their stories, to advocate for them.  

"What do you need most?"  

"Houses" 

"Do you want money to build houses?  Or someone to build you a house?"

"To be built a house, we will use the money on immediate needs (food) otherwise"

A family of 5 live in this structure.

The plan!

Let's start with 50 families and build them a home.  This will save lives.  This will give dignity.  This will give a safe space.  These people deserve to be heard, understood and helped.

There is an area in the village which has been selected by the community for houses to built, away from the river and away from the slopes of Mulanje at an affordable rent.  A nominal rent will be charged per month to each family (about £2.50)  This will create a community fund for education for children in the village.  This will support school fees for those that are struggling and provide basic resources to the village primary school.  

The area selected by the village for new houses to be built

Where homes used to stand.  Large boulders were shifted from the mountain destroying everything in their path

It doesn't cost a lot to give a family a house in Malawi - we've costed it - it's about £1000, exchange rates fluctuating.

• 6000 Bricks - 150,000 MK
• 32 iron sheets - 272,000 MK
• 20 bags of cement - 300,000 MK
• 15 planks of wood - 52,500 MK
• 3 doors - 75,000 MK
• 3kg of iron nails - 10,500 MK
• 2kg of wood nails - 7000 MK 
• 2x window frame (size 3) 18,000 MK
• 1x window frame (size 6) - 14,000 MK
• Labour - 350,000 MK
• 10% exchange rate / price variation - 124,900 MK

TOTAL 1,373,900 MK (£1000)

Basic house in Malawi

We've all heard of the cost of living crisis, but have you heard of the cost of existence crisis?  Please help this community.  Their existence is a struggle, every single day.