We returned to understand what the recovery process has been like. Joined by renowned photographer, Sian Davey, we celebrate the incredible things that these families have achieved.
Here, Stephano and Mary, from the community of Mwalija tell their story of home.
“On the day of the flood the rain started at 5pm, but the flood that caused houses to fall started at 11pm. By the middle of the night, all the houses had fallen. Our livestock were getting carried away with the water. The crocodiles were so close to us, attacking the cows.”

“We were working hard to save our children who have not yet tested the world. This is why we put them in the trees. When we saw there was more water coming, we would take them to a higher tree. We stayed for 24 hours in the water.”
– Stefano

Discover how families took your support and used it to rebuild their lives by:
• Creating a home
• Rebuilding as a community
• Returning to work
• Learning new skills
Families in Mwalija created a place where their everyday life can resume.
Everyday activities like cooking, cleaning and relaxing are a fundamental part of all our lives.
“We want a place where when we wake up we are able to clean it, look after the surroundings and take care of it. To me that makes a home.”
– Isaac

A home means a good night’s sleep. It’s a place to find privacy and time to yourself. To spend time with family. It’s somewhere where you can feel safe and secure. It’s a place to cook, to play, to work, to laugh. It’s a place to start again.
By moving away from the temporary camp where they fled to after the floods, the families of Mwalija created a space they could call their own. A space that could be cleared for farming. A place with a future.
“My meaning of a home has changed now, this place is now home. But in its current state, it’s a home of hope.”
– Stephano
In the months that followed Cyclone Idai, Mwalija came together as a community to rebuild.
“What gave us the strength to move from the camp to this place were the tarpaulins that we received. When we came here, we had space, we could live freely.”
– Mary
Community, whether a village, group or extended family, helps recovery in many ways.
Living with friends, family and neighbours around you provides physical, material and emotional support. Communities work together and help each other. Communities help people to earn a living and build resilience. A strong community lifts the spirit of the people living in it.

By working together, it took the community of Mwalija just three months to relocate the village.
Working this quickly avoided breaking up the community, and people who were thinking about moving away were reassured to stay.
The tools and emergency shelter gave the village community the confidence to make decisions like relocating.

Below: Church plays an important role in community life in Malawi. Everyone dresses in their best clothes. On Sunday the sound of singing filled the air as families walked down the dusty track from their church to the river to baptise new members of the church. After two hours at the river, 21 people had been baptised.
By returning to work and starting to farm again, families in Mwalija could grow food, earn a living and, most importantly, take back control of their lives after the disruption of Cyclone Idai.
Being able to earn a living creates independence and builds resilience to future knocks. Getting back to farming the land shows that the people of Mwalija have an eye on the future.
From a psychological perspective alone, returning to work allows people to get back on their feet and imagine a vision for the future.
“I have plans. Next week I will be planting maize, onions and tomatoes. So that those crops, tomatoes and onions will help me raise money for the house. That’s why we work, because we are looking to the future.”
– Stephano
