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Hope restored: A Mother’s journey from hunger to stability- Elnino response.

For 33-year-old Sigere Medison, a mother of four from Sub-Traditional Authority Phimbi in Balaka District, life took a harsh turn when the El Niño weather phenomenon hit her community. What followed was a period of immense struggle, where even a single meal a day became a luxury.

“El Niño left a devastating effect on our lives. Life was difficult. We used to eat only once a day and sometimes we would go to bed without food. Being a mother of four, with two children under the age of five, it was not easy for me.” Sigere Medison shared

Sigere painfully remembers how the food crisis affected her children, particularly their education. Her three school-going children were forced to miss classes, with her eldest son, just nine years old, opting to take on piecework in a desperate attempt to find food for the family. “It broke my heart, but there was nothing else we could do,” she says.

Relief came in November 2024, when the El Nino emergency response cash transfer initiative was launched with support from the Canadian Foodgrains Bank and Presbyterian World Service and Development. Sigere was one of the 1,700 vulnerable households selected in Sub-Traditional Authority Phimbi to receive monthly cash transfers of MK90,000 for five months.

“Since November, life has been smooth. My family has been able to eat throughout the day. I am forever grateful,” Sigere shares with a smile.

She used the money wisely, buying essential food items like maize, cooking oil, beans, relish and porridge flour. But Sigere did not stop there. Demonstrating resilience and foresight, she also invested part of the funds into her local Village Savings and Loans group. This has empowered her to pay part-time school fees for her children, ensuring that they don’t miss out on their education again.

Sigere’s story is a testament to how timely humanitarian support can restore dignity, hope and opportunity. Sigere and many others are beginning to rebuild their lives one step and one lesson at a time.