Flooding in Malawi

Communities in southern Malawi experienced damaging flooding caused by torrential rains in January 2020. 

Nearly 2,500 families were affected, with some of them staying at temporary displacement camps with little privacy.

A ShelterBox team deployed to Malawi. The team worked to understand the extent of the damage, speaking to the affected communities to identify the need for shelter. We worked with our partners Habitat for Humanity Malawi as well as our local Rotary contacts.

Families were facing imminent health dangers caused by the disaster. The floods had damaged and destroyed homes, but they’d also increased the risk of deadly diseases like malaria.

The wet season in Malawi lasts from November to April, with more people expected to be affected by the floods. Watch the video to hear from our team in the field.

This is not the first time the region has experienced heavy flooding. In 2019, Cyclone Idai brought devastation to the area.

We worked with our partner Habitat for Humanity to provide emergency shelter for families in Malawi who were affected the most.

Nearly 2,000 families received shelter kits, water filters and carriers, mosquito nets, solar lights, and blankets.

Three months after the end of our response, we went back to Malawi to speak to families who told us how the aid has had an impact on their livelihoods. You can watch our film Kunyumba here.

Responding to Cyclone Idai