ROC donates 5,000 tones of rice to Malawi

The Republic of China (ROC) on Thursday donated 5,000 metric tones of rice to the government of Malawi for distribution to vulnerable people in the country.

Presenting the donation at a ceremony held at Sun Bird Capital Hotel in Lilongwe, ROC Ambassador to Malawi, James Chuang said ROC cherishes the cordial relationship existing between Taiwan and Malawi.

"Taiwan is a good friend of Malawi, and it will remain so. We would like to assist in reducing the plight for the vulnerable and so help in the achievement of the Malawi Growth and Development Strategy (MGDS) that was launched just yesterday," said Chuang.

Local Government and Rural Development Minister, George Chaponda thanked the Taiwanese government for the donation which he described as kind and timely.

He said the government of Malawi would ensure that the rice is distributed to the intended vulnerable groups. Feed the Children Malawi, a Non-governmental Organization, will distribute the rice to beneficiaries throughout the country. Minister of Persons with Disabilities and the Elderly, Clement Khembo said his ministry was pleased with the donation as it would improve on the lives of people with disabilities.

Feed the nation executive director, Grace Maseko said, the southern region will receive 2,484 tones while central and northern regions will receive 1,242 and 1,274 metric tones respectively. She said allocations were based on population distribution as well as the number of vulnerable and needy people in each of the regions.