One of the charity organisations in the country, Gift of the Givers, has moved in to help asylum seekers at Luwani and Dzaleka camps in Neno and Dowa respectively, by giving out packs of maize flour and clothes worth K2 million.
The donation comes at a time when the world commemorated World Refugee Day on June 20, under the theme “Together for Peace, Tolerance and Prosperity.”
Programmes Manager for the Gift of the Givers, Ishmael Grant, said though the donation is not as much but its importance cannot be overemphasised.
“As you are aware the past three to four months, a lot of people have been fleeing Mozambique coming to Malawi. Government then decided to re-establish Luwani Refugee Camp. The organisation responsible approached us as Gift of the Givers to partner with them in support of the refugees,” he said.
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Senior Emergency Coordinator, Fadela Novak-Irons, called upon the donor community and well-meaning Malawians to continue rendering support to the Mozambicans.
One of the beneficiaries at Luwani Camp, Delton Chimomole, said they were happy with the reception they have had in Malawi. He, however, pleaded for well wishers to assist them with clothes besides food.
“The clothes that Gift of the Givers has brought us mean a lot because some of us here had literally nothing. The only clothes I had were the ones I was putting on,” he said.
According to figures by UNHCR, of the 20 million refugees worldwide, 51 percent are under the age of 18 years. This is the highest number of child refugees since World War II.
Luwani refugee camp which currently inhabits over 1,531 asylum seekers, previously hosted Mozambican refugees during the 1977-1992 civil war and was closed in 2007.
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