A mother's sacrifice

A 41-year-old woman in Malawi’s Nsanje district has sacrificed her life to save her 12-year-old daughter, Bertha, from the raging floods. Understandably distressed and nearly helpless, Bertha tearfully recalls what happened when rescuers came their way:

“Some merciful people passed by our house in a canoe,” Bertha said. “But there was not enough space in the canoe. My mother requested them to take me to high ground and to come back for her.”

"There was not enough space in the canoe. My mother requested them to take me to high ground and to come back for her."

Sadly, when the canoe returned to the house, they only found remains of Bertha’s mum and later learnt that she had been attacked by a crocodile. “We found her remains near where we had left her,” said one of the canoe men, adding that, “the floods have brought crocodiles all over the community posing more threat to people’s lives.”

Following the death of their mum, Bertha and her brother Amos, aged 14, have now become double orphans having also lost their father a couple of years ago. Currently the children are living with their sister who has two children of her own. “Apart from losing our mother, we lost all that we had. I survived yes, but it’s very painful,” said Evelyn, Bertha’s eldest sister.

A very bright student who dreams to become a medical doctor one day, Bertha came top of her grade four class in the last academic term.

“Apart from losing our mother, we lost all what we had. I survived yes, but it’s very painful.”

World Vision has so far been distributing maize flour and beans to several affected families in the evacuation centres that have been established in Nsanje district.

World Vision Malawi National Director Robert Kisyula said the organisation will work closely with the Government of Malawi to respond to the needs of displaced people through provision of food, tents, and health and sanitation services. “I fear a cholera outbreak considering the rising number of people coming to this evacuation centre, with only a few toilets that are operational as others are totally destroyed by the floods.”

Mr Kisyula appealed for support from donors both in Malawi and abroad to help fund the emergency response.