Dowa District, Malawi … Deep creases etch through sad expressions. Years of pain imprint an intense struggle to survive. On weak knees, and a thin, frail frame, a weary and hungry old woman walks many kilometers because she has received a report that they have food for the hungry. She has not eaten in five days, is in her 60’s, and is responsible for feeding five grandchildren, and five other orphaned relatives. Naomi Phiri is from Chalinda Village in central Malawi. Naomi tells Wilson Tembo from Action for Progress, “To have food for the whole family, I need to raise not less than MK 2000 ($2.00) per day. I cannot manage.”
Not far away is Veronica Sauzande. She comes from Mtumbati Village in Dowa West. Like Naomi, she has spent several days without food. She is also responsible for grandchildren, six of them. She looks for odd jobs, called piece work, just to eke out a living.
On this day Tembo is happy to report both women, along with many others in this part of Malawi went home with packages of food in their hands.