UNICEF launches campaign to support students’ safe return to Cyclone Freddy-affected schools

BLANTYRE, 17 April 2023 – The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and partners, has today launched a Back-to-School (B2S) Campaign to support a safe return to school for more than 200,000 learners across 250 schools in nine districts heavily impacted by the floods and displacement caused by Tropical Cyclone Freddy. The campaign is providing additional temporary learning spaces and school supplies and supporting infection prevention and child protection services in the schools as learners resume learning this week.

Tropical Cyclone Freddy hit most parts of Malawi’s southern region in March 2023 and destroyed infrastructure such as roads and schools, including essential teaching and learning materials. At least 624 schools were affected, and 408 of these schools hosted internally displaced persons, limiting access to learning for around 725,000 learners.

Speaking at the launch of the B2S Campaign at Nkanda Primary School in Mulanje, UNICEF Country Representative (a.i.) Gianfranco Rotigliano said: “We have an opportunity to safeguard the rights of children to education and a safe learning environment by ensuring that all affected schools are ready and equipped to deliver quality education,” he said. “The coordination of national authorities, partners and communities is key to ensuring every child learns even amidst difficulties caused by disasters.”

UNICEF has established temporary learning spaces and distributed supplies which allow children to go back to schools, reaching 150 schools in Chikwawa, Nsanje, Phalombe, Mulanje, Zomba and Blantyre districts in the first phase. The second phase will cover the remaining 100 schools and scale up the campaign to Machinga, Thyolo and Chiradzulu districts.

The campaign’s interventions include the provision of tents for creating temporary learning spaces, distribution of teaching and learning materials, support for physical and mental health, school feeding for learners, and access to child-friendly latrines separated for boys and girls as well as water, sanitation, and hygiene supplies. In addition, the B2S Campaign is gender-responsive, meeting specific and gendered needs of adolescent girls, including the provision of sanitary pads and prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse.

Rotigliano said, “We must work together to provide the necessary support for children to safely return to school and continue to learn.”

The launch of the B2S Campaign was made possible with financial assistance from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA).

Photos for B2S Campaign Launch are available here