In February 2024, prolonged rainfall caused extensive flooding in Malawi’s Karonga and Nkhotakota Districts.  The floods washed away homes, livestock and farmland, displacing 18,917 people.  Those who lost their homes also lost most of their possessions: food stocks, clothing, cooking implements, school supplies and more. Families sought shelter in camps for internally displaced people (IDP), but were highly vulnerable to malnutrition and disease outbreak.

With an on-the-ground partner already working in the area, One Day’s Wages was able to mobilize quickly in response.  Through our partnership with SPRODETA – a local nonprofit that exists to empower marginalized people in Malawi – families living in Karonga’s IDP camps received critically needed relief.  Food relief packages were distributed to pregnant and lactating women, as well as to the elderly and people with disabilities.  In addition, adolescent girls were supported with menstrual hygiene kits, and school-age children received educational materials.  Amidst the challenges of washed out roads and the risk of disease, SPRODETA collaborated closely with district disaster officers to ensure that more than 13,000 vulnerable people were supported with essential items.