At least 500 families affected by Cyclone Ana desperately need food, water and sanitation facilities at M’dala camp in Chikwawa district.

This was revealed to YFM Online after Youth Net and Counselling (YONECO) provided psychological first aid to survivors and empowered them to report any forms of abuse and other vices at the camp.

One of the survivors, Patricia Kachiya, a mother of eight kids, who hails from Mabungu Village, Group Village Head Kanseche said they are sleeping on an empty stomach for days since they lost everything to Tropical Storm Ana.

“Life here is hard and I do not know where my next meal will come from. My plea to government is that it should organize food items as soon as possible because we are suffering,” she said.

Kachiya also spoke of how women who are menstruating are facing problems at the camp saying there is no clean water for them to use and changing rooms are also a hustle.

“When we are menstruating we need clean facilities, water, changing rooms and privacy as well but here we don’t have all that,” Kachiya said.

Group Village Head Kanseche also implored on government and well-wishers to assist them with food among other essential items.

“There are 505 families camping here and we need food, we also need water because we can easily contract waterborne diseases under the current situation”.

Youth Net and Counselling (YONECO) is providing support to the survivors with funding from Trocaire.