Social policy: Esime’s story on recovering from Cyclone Freddy

Esime explained that the impact of the Cyclone Freddy on her life was profound. The cyclone caused significant damage, destroying her house and everything in it.

“It was a difficult and overwhelming experience to see the destruction firsthand. However, in the face of adversity, I remained resilient. I immediately took action to ensure the safety of my family by looking for shelter and, in the process, I found this house.

"Whilst it is not in perfect condition it serves as a refuge while we plan to rebuild and recover. While the loss was devastating, it also taught me valuable lessons in perseverance and adaptability. I learned to navigate through difficult circumstances and find strength for my  four children in the aftermath of Cyclone Freddy.”

“In the aftermath of Cyclone Freddy, I faced the daunting task of rebuilding my life. It was at this moment that I heard our community leaders through the civil protection committee call for all affected households to register. The process was a testament to the organized and compassionate response from our community authorities. 

"Our names were carefully recorded to ensure accurate distribution assistance. The next step was a meeting with our community leaders and the district council staff where our names were crossed checked in the social registry. We were interviewed and our answers were recorded in a tablet.”

This step not only provided a sense of validation but also demonstrated a commitment to transparency and fairness. Following this there was a thorough verification process to confirm if all the names were collected in the first place.

Finally, the culmination of this process was the receipt of cyclone response money worth MK150,000.00 which was donated by the World Bank Delegation in Malawi.

In total, over 110,00 households were targeted to receive cash transfers under the Cyclone Freddy Early Recovery Response.   The costs that made the enrolment of beneficiaries in Zomba district was supported by the Embassy of Ireland.

“Tropical Cyclone Freddy did not just destroy my house. My livelihood was also destroyed. I had to find creative ways to sustain myself and my family. One approach I took was to utilize the financial assistance which I received by strategically allocating funds to purchase bags of maize and bags of fertilizer.

"This decision was driven by a combination of short-term necessity and long term-planning. By investing in fertilizer, I aimed to restore my agricultural capabilities and ensure a sustainable source of income for the future.”

“I would like to extend my heartful appreciation to the institutions that joined hands to aid us, their swift and coordinated efforts have made a significant difference in my community and my life. The financial assistance has really helped my households to be resilient and be food secure during the lean period and hope for a better harvest from the fertilizer.”

The consequences of climate change tend to fall disproportionately upon the poor and vulnerable populations. 

Financially empowering people minimises the effects of any climate shock households that receive cash are significantly more likely to report quicker recovery from various shocks with dignity addressing their bespoke needs.

 Esime’s story underlines the power of cash transfers in helping affected populations, to recover lost assets, repair damage to crops or property and speeds up return to normality.