Loss and damage induced by climatic shocks has worsened the psychosocial wellbeing of some survivors who barely have access to support for the same. This is so because Malawi only has one public Mental Health Institution based in Zomba City which most of the poor cannot be able to access. As a result, patients and their guardians normalize their helpless estate and take each day as it comes. Rose Almando (72) from Gilbert Village, GVH Ngabu in Nsanje, gives an account of her daily struggles as a mother, grandmother, breadwinner and a guardian to both her physically and psychologically challenged husband and sister respectively.
“As the breadwinner of my house, I am always worried about how to fend for my family and ensure that my sister’s and my children go to school.” Laments Almando.
Almando’s sister developed a mental health problem after she lost her house and all possessions. She had to automatically bear the responsibility of taking care of her sister and her children although she is also a survivor of non-economic loss and damage in the area. The piece works that she relies on is barely enough and difficult to come by.
“In the wee hours of one unfortunate morning, the river swelled and my household was filled with water. We had no chance to carry along our belongings because we wanted to save our lives.” She narrates.
She further said that she cannot be able to replace her livestock and other possessions since she does not have a permanent and sustainable source of income. On top of that, she is worried about her son’s education who is in his second year at the Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (MUBAS) who sometimes stays home when his scholarship is delayed. She sometimes fails to even raise transport fees for her son to travel to the school located in Blantyre City.
The Inclusion of her sister and her children to the family has made matters worse for her and she is most of the time stressed about how to make ends meet. She is however appreciative of the Umunthu Circles dialogue that ArtGlo had with the survivors of NELD. At this engagement, she learned that there are some people in her community who received psychosocial training to assist survivors like herself and her sister.
On some climate change mitigation interventions in her area such as tree planting and management, she promised that she will be mobilizing her children to patronize such initiatives since she is elderly and cannot partake in heavy activities. She also believes that the microgrants provided by CARD such as dyke construction and provision of tree seedlings will go a long way in reducing the impact of floods in the area.
