Prayers and support for Malawi
First weeks of drought, then heavy rainfall. In Malawi, the president has declared a state of disaster.
At the beginning of March, an appeal for help from Malawi reached the Ev.-luth. Mission in Lower Saxony by email. It was written by Mphatso Thole, who - amongst other duties - is responsible for public relations in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malawi (ELCM). "On behalf of Bishop Dr Joseph P. Bvumbwe ... I am writing this warning to alert you, dear partners and companions, that Malawi is experiencing and will experience another potential disaster due to drought in most parts of the country and flooding in the districts along Lake Malawi". In the meantime, the situation in the south-east African country has worsened to such an extent that President Lazarus Chakwera has declared a state of disaster in 23 out of 28 districts.
For the staple crop maize alone, 44 percent of the country's arable land is expected to suffer a crop failure. The drought at the beginning of the year and now the heavy rainfall are also causing significant losses with other crops such as rice, soya beans, field beans and peanuts. The floods have damaged roads, bridges and houses, people have fled and are now living in emergency shelters. There have been injuries and fatalities.
This is the fourth time in four years that the president has declared a state of disaster due to natural disasters, which can be linked to global warming and its harmful effects - such as cyclone Freddy, which struck Malawi in February/March 2023. This is also described by Mphatso Thole from the ELCM. "As you know, Malawi as a country and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malawi are only just recovering from ... cyclones, cholera and the recent devaluation of the Malawian currency against the US dollar."
In an address to the nation on 23 March 2024, the President of Malawi explained that, according to preliminary estimates, almost 2 million self-sufficient households were affected by crop failure. The devastating situation is that the climate in 2024 with drought and floods is expected to trigger a further escalation of price inflation this year and in the coming years, leading to the suffering of many more people in Malawi as food prices soar. Mphatso Thole adds: "For this reason, and because we are aware that we are partners and companions in mission, we have decided to inform you of these developments and are counting on your prayers and support, as you have always done."
The ELM supports various projects in Malawi in the areas of agriculture, health and combating the consequences of climate change. You can find a selection here on the right.
The photo shows flooding after heavy rainfall in Phalombe District in 2019.