Hunger, caused by El Niño, is causing severe hardship for families in Malawi

Liness, a mother of three children, was devastated by the 2023 Cyclone Freddy disaster, which destroyed her home, belongings, and farm produce. She moved in with her elder sister and her husband, creating a 10-person household. Normally, Liness harvests about 10 bags of maize from her 1-acre farm each year, sufficient to feed her family. However, due to the El Niño weather conditions, she hasn't reaped any maize this year.

"Just when the maize was about knee-high, the rain stopped, and it became very hot. We haven’t yielded anything from the farm, not even fresh maize for roasting," laments Liness.

Currently, she grows vegetables and sweet potatoes to sell in order to buy food for her children. She has also taken up piece jobs for extra income. Despite her efforts, hunger remains a prevalent issue in her home, with some days going by without any food.

One of Liness’ sons, Yohane, a 15-year-old boy in standard seven at Nyangu Primary School, shares the harsh reality of their situation. "Lately, we have been going to bed hungry, and it’s hard to go to school when you haven’t eaten. On some days, we work piece jobs with our parents to help source money for food," says Yohane.

World Vision Malawi in partnership with World Food Program has been supporting families impacted by El Niño with essential food supplies and agricultural inputs such as seeds and fertilizers in the Southern part of Malawi. These efforts aim to help families participate in winter cropping, ensuring they can provide enough food for their households.

The El Niño-induced drought is estimated to have affected at least 5.4 million people, according to  data form  World Food Program. World Vision Malawi’s interventions, including distributing food supplies and providing agricultural inputs, are vital in helping families like Liness’ to survive and rebuild their lives.