Cases of Malnutrition Are Rising in Phalombe As Communities Face Acute Hunger

Cases of malnutrition are rising in Phalombe as communities face acute hunger.

A recent visit revealed that many households are affected, with two out of five homes visited showing signs of malnutrition.

In one household, 23-year-old Lindani Bandula, a mother of two, is struggling to feed her children. Her two-year-old daughter, Rosina, is showing signs of malnutrition, though Lindani was unaware of the severity until World Vision Programme Officer Christopher Mikundi conducted an assessment.

"We survive on mangoes, that is why the child looks like this. My husband has gone to Mozambique to look for work, so I am just alone with the children,” she explains.

In another home, 17-year-old Faith is caring for her one-year-and-eleven-month-old daughter, Sherina, who suffers from severe malnutrition. Despite completing six weeks of soya diet treatment, Sherina’s condition has not improved.

"After noticing that she was not improving, the doctors said she must be given some medicine in case there are other conditions such as worms and other diseases," says Faith.

However, hunger makes recovery difficult. The Programme Officer encouraged both mothers to join village savings groups to build income and resilience, noting that World Vision runs several programs aimed at strengthening community resilience through these groups.