Director of Response and Recovery for DoDMA, Rev. Moses Chimphepo has told Zodiak Online on Thursday that people's stay in camps had economic implications both on the individual and the country.

"Sticking to the camps will continue delaying them from rebuilding their lives and continuing with developmental activities, hence the need for them to start returning home as soon as possible," said Chimphepo.

He added that some of the activities that the people can begin with was to plant crops that do not require a lot of rains to mature so that they can secure their households from eminent hunger induced by the floods that washed away crops.

Malawi Red Cross Society with assistance from the Danish Red Cross, the European Union and International Federation of Red Cross  provided starter packs that included turplins, buckets and other kitchen  ware to 371 households in the area of Traditional Authority Jenala where the launch was conducted.

General Secretary for Malawi Red Cross Society (MRCS) McBen Kanongodza said while the organization provided the assistance it was key to remember that the lasting solution for disaster victimization in the country is to build the economic capacities of the people.

"If rural masses are economically empowered they can be able to build better and also build in safe places where they can never worry about floods," he said.

One of the survivors Victoria Sailesi of Njobvu village T/A Jenala confirmed that with the assistance she was going to start construction of a temporary house on Saturday for her to move out of her camp as soon as possible.

The initiative will target four districts of Phalombe, Salima, Chikwawa and Nsanje.

MRCS has injected K277 million towards the initiative.