Cyclone Freddy

Our focus is currently on three districts — Phalombe, Nsanje and Chikwawa — where Oxfam is already working. We hope to extend this support to Thyolo district as soon as possible.

Oxfam and its partners are working with the local authorities, for example in Phalombe which is prone to climate shocks, to help coordinate an effective response.

Cyclone Freddy struck southern Africa from 10 to 15 March 2023, causing extensive damage to homes, crops, roads, schools, and hospitals in southern Malawi.

The cyclone worsened an ongoing cholera outbreak, resulting in significant challenges in accessing water, sanitation, and hygiene in affected areas.

Approximately 2.2 million people have been affected, with more than 659,000 individuals displaced and living in crowded camps.

Oxfam's Cyclone Freddy Humanitarian Response is providing aid to 15,500 households in three districts, including food assistance, blankets, buckets, wrappers, soap, and menstrual hygiene kits.

The President of Malawi, Lazarus Chakwera, declared a state of disaster on 13 March, highlighting the urgent need for support. The recovery process for Malawi is expected to be lengthy and will require significant resources and collaboration.

When Evance Banda quit school following his father’s death, he learned carpentry for a living. Today, his workbench is the only item that remains after his home was left shattered by Cyclone Freddy.

The rainstorm lasted three days, causing severe flash floods and landslides that ripped apart homes on the slopes of Soche Hill in Blantyre. Evance's mother and two siblings were killed in the night. Nine people in the surrounding homesteads also died.

Evance now lives in a crowded camp at Naotcha primary school.
According to the Department of Disaster Management Affairs, there are thousands of people like Evance living in about 750 camps with limited food, safe water, sanitation, hygiene, lighting and privacy.