The Malawi Red Cross Society (MRCS) officially launched its 2025 Flag Week on May 8 at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe, aiming to raise at least K200 million to support disaster response efforts, blood donor recruitment, and first aid services.
Speaking during the launch, MRCS President Innocent Majiya said last year the organization raised K56 million, which was used to support the cholera response in districts such as Karonga, Machinga, Mangochi, and Balaka. The funds also supported early action ahead of tropical cyclones Chido and Jude, helping hundreds of families avoid severe disaster impacts.
Majiya highlighted the organization’s broad humanitarian reach, noting that from last year to date, MRCS has implemented numerous disaster preparedness and response programs across various districts. These efforts have included anticipatory actions that reached 1.2 million people with early warning messages.
“In response to El Niño in 2024, we supported 15,000 people with cash worth K420 million in Mangochi and Nkhotakota,” Majiya said.
He added that during floods in Karonga, Kasungu, Lilongwe, and Nkhotakota, MRCS provided cash assistance amounting to K949 million to 20,000 people. In Zomba, 3,250 people affected by floods received K190 million, while in Mzimba, 7,500 people facing hunger received K386 million in support.
Cyclone Chido-affected families in Kasungu, Zomba, Balaka, and Blantyre received K942 million in cash assistance, while 3,836 Mozambican asylum seekers were supported with K111 million. For Cyclone Jude, the organization reached 1,028 people with anticipatory assistance worth K72 million and another 25,000 people in Phalombe, Mulanje, and Chikwawa with K550 million in direct cash support.
“In total, we’ve reached over 100,000 people with cash assistance amounting to K4 billion,” Majiya said.
MRCS extended its gratitude to international partners including the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), Danish Red Cross, Swiss Red Cross, Saudi Red Crescent, World Food Programme (WFP), EU ECHO, various National Societies, and UN agencies.
The organization currently has 85,000 workers operating nationwide.
Flag Week is part of the annual commemoration of the birth of Henry Dunant, the founder of the Red Cross Movement. This year’s theme is “On the Side of Humanity.”
