The National Commission for Science and Technology (NCST) on Thursday, 6th April made a donation to Cyclone Freddy survivors at Mbulumbudzi in Chiradzulu district. The donation, to the tune of 3,600,000MK, comprised food and non-food items that were distributed to 98 families who have been displaced and are camped at Mbulumbudzi Primary School.

Speaking after donating the items, Gift Kadzamira, NCST Acting Director General mentioned that the effects of the cyclone have saddened the NCST as the suffering of the survivors goes against NCST’s mission which is to promote the development of science, technology and innovation in order to create wealth and improve the quality of life, saying the aftermath of the cyclone points to the loss of wealth of the people and lessening of their quality of life. As such, the Acting Director General said the Commission has been moved to help because they felt the need to cheer the victims up and alleviate their losses by bringing them the maize flour, Soya pieces and Kapenta to provide for their nutritional needs and the blankets to protect them from the impending cold season.

Speaking at the same event, the Deputy Board Chairperson for NCST Cecilia Nyirenda (PhD), added that all the work that NCST does is aimed at bettering the lives of people and to see those same people suffering in this way is a blow to the NCST efforts as it strives to achieve sustainable growth and development in Malawi.

Going forward, among other important research areas, NCST intends to focus its support to researchers that will concentrate on all-inclusive precautionary mechanisms for natural disasters such as these.