Unwavering faith after cyclone freddy
February 4, 2025
Unwavering faith after cyclone freddy
February 4, 2025
Felesta Lyford lives in the Chikwawa district in Malawi with her three orphaned grandchildren and her adult sons, Ledson and Hyfen, and Hyfen’s wife and their two children.
In 2022, Hurricane Ana swept across Malawi causing widespread devastation. Felesta and her family lost their home and farm and had to seek shelter in a displacement camp. During the two years following Cyclone Ana, Felesta worked hard, alongside her sons, doing piece work for other farmers. She managed to save enough money to rebuild her home, and to purchase millet seeds to plant and harvest on her own land. Felesta also planted a vegetable garden which ensured her family could have vegetable-rich meals, and she sold the surplus vegetables to generate extra income. She and her family were well on their way to recovery.
Then Cyclone Freddy struck southern Malawi on March 11, 2023, and Felesta faced overwhelming loss once more. Her home, belongings, and farm—everything she had rebuilt—was destroyed.
“The flood waters once again came so quickly,” Felesta recalls, “that all I could do was warn my grandchildren to leave everything and move as fast as they could through the rising water. Thankfully, my son Ledson helped all of us reach higher ground and safety. Now, all that remains of my home are a few bricks lying under the sand left behind by the water.” Felesta is now living in Hyfen’s family’s home, which also sustained damage from the cyclone, and is currently under repairs.
With funding from the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, World Renew partnered with Eagles, the Malawi-based development and disaster response arm of Living Waters Church, to address the immediate and long-term food security of families impacted by Cyclone Freddy in Chikwawa district. To address their immediate food needs, families received a monthly cash transfer for six months to purchase food and other essentials. With long-term food security and self-sufficiency in mind, World Renew Malawi and Eagles have provided families with maize seeds, pigeon peas, beans, sweet potato vines, and assorted vegetable seeds, as well as training in conservation agriculture, livestock health, business management, and disaster risk reduction. Through this project, communities have also had support in establishing Village Savings and Loan Associations.
“I am so thankful to be part of the project and to have received this cash,” Felesta says. “I can buy my family the essential food they need, and I can make decisions about buying other household necessities. I have also bought three ducks, five chickens, and a rooster,” she shares proudly. “They provide us with fresh eggs and will soon reproduce and add more support for my household.”
Felesta has used a portion of the cash to continue paying the school fees so her grandchildren can remain in school. “I want my grandchildren to go to school because it is important that they receive an education,” she explains. “This will help them to be self-sufficient when they are grown.”
Felesta diligently worked to plant the seeds she received through the project and gave great attention to the care of her plot of land. Sadly, Southern Malawi is experiencing the effects of El Niño, and this has resulted in a severe dry spell during what would normally be the rainy season. “I fear if the rains do not come soon, we will not have a harvest at all,” Felesta says. “But I pray to God, and I hope for the best. I continue to look to the future, when we will start winter cropping,” she smiles, “and I will plant and harvest again.”
Felesta joined the Village Saving and Loan Association (VSLA) that was recently formed in her village. Through the VSLA, members learn to save regularly by contributing to a group savings pool. Once the pool has grown large enough the members will be able to take out low-interest loans to invest in home repairs, improvements to their farms, and more. “I am grateful and happy to be part of a VSLA, and I have managed to put some of the cash into savings. I will save even more in the future, and soon I will be able to take out a loan to rebuild my home,” Felesta shares. Through World Renew, the VSLA will be provided with five goats, and through reproduction, each member will eventually receive goats to start their own herd. Felesta is excited about the opportunity to get into goat breeding. “At some time, my family and I will also benefit from the goats that our VSLA will receive,” she says.
Despite the challenges she has faced, Felesta stands firm in her faith in God’s goodness. “I am still strong; that is God’s blessing to me, and even though we face hardships, he continues to bless me and my family,” she says with a smile.
February 23 is Canadian Foodgrains Bank Sunday and through your offering you can share Christ’s hope with families struggling with hunger. Your gifts supporting the work of World Renew and the Canadian Foodgrains Bank will help us address the emergency food needs of families in food crisis and provide the training and resources communities need to journey to long-term food security. Thank you!
Felesta Lyford lives in the Chikwawa district in Malawi with her three orphaned grandchildren and her adult sons, Ledson and Hyfen, and Hyfen’s wife and their two children.
In 2022, Hurricane Ana swept across Malawi causing widespread devastation. Felesta and her family lost their home and farm and had to seek shelter in a displacement camp. During the two years following Cyclone Ana, Felesta worked hard, alongside her sons, doing piece work for other farmers. She managed to save enough money to rebuild her home, and to purchase millet seeds to plant and harvest on her own land. Felesta also planted a vegetable garden which ensured her family could have vegetable-rich meals, and she sold the surplus vegetables to generate extra income. She and her family were well on their way to recovery.
Then Cyclone Freddy struck southern Malawi on March 11, 2023, and Felesta faced overwhelming loss once more. Her home, belongings, and farm—everything she had rebuilt—was destroyed.
“The flood waters once again came so quickly,” Felesta recalls, “that all I could do was warn my grandchildren to leave everything and move as fast as they could through the rising water. Thankfully, my son Ledson helped all of us reach higher ground and safety. Now, all that remains of my home are a few bricks lying under the sand left behind by the water.” Felesta is now living in Hyfen’s family’s home, which also sustained damage from the cyclone, and is currently under repairs.
With funding from the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, World Renew partnered with Eagles, the Malawi-based development and disaster response arm of Living Waters Church, to address the immediate and long-term food security of families impacted by Cyclone Freddy in Chikwawa district. To address their immediate food needs, families received a monthly cash transfer for six months to purchase food and other essentials. With long-term food security and self-sufficiency in mind, World Renew Malawi and Eagles have provided families with maize seeds, pigeon peas, beans, sweet potato vines, and assorted vegetable seeds, as well as training in conservation agriculture, livestock health, business management, and disaster risk reduction. Through this project, communities have also had support in establishing Village Savings and Loan Associations.
“I am so thankful to be part of the project and to have received this cash,” Felesta says. “I can buy my family the essential food they need, and I can make decisions about buying other household necessities. I have also bought three ducks, five chickens, and a rooster,” she shares proudly. “They provide us with fresh eggs and will soon reproduce and add more support for my household.”
Felesta has used a portion of the cash to continue paying the school fees so her grandchildren can remain in school. “I want my grandchildren to go to school because it is important that they receive an education,” she explains. “This will help them to be self-sufficient when they are grown.”
Felesta diligently worked to plant the seeds she received through the project and gave great attention to the care of her plot of land. Sadly, Southern Malawi is experiencing the effects of El Niño, and this has resulted in a severe dry spell during what would normally be the rainy season. “I fear if the rains do not come soon, we will not have a harvest at all,” Felesta says. “But I pray to God, and I hope for the best. I continue to look to the future, when we will start winter cropping,” she smiles, “and I will plant and harvest again.”
Felesta joined the Village Saving and Loan Association (VSLA) that was recently formed in her village. Through the VSLA, members learn to save regularly by contributing to a group savings pool. Once the pool has grown large enough the members will be able to take out low-interest loans to invest in home repairs, improvements to their farms, and more. “I am grateful and happy to be part of a VSLA, and I have managed to put some of the cash into savings. I will save even more in the future, and soon I will be able to take out a loan to rebuild my home,” Felesta shares. Through World Renew, the VSLA will be provided with five goats, and through reproduction, each member will eventually receive goats to start their own herd. Felesta is excited about the opportunity to get into goat breeding. “At some time, my family and I will also benefit from the goats that our VSLA will receive,” she says.
Despite the challenges she has faced, Felesta stands firm in her faith in God’s goodness. “I am still strong; that is God’s blessing to me, and even though we face hardships, he continues to bless me and my family,” she says with a smile.
February 23 is Canadian Foodgrains Bank Sunday and through your offering you can share Christ’s hope with families struggling with hunger. Your gifts supporting the work of World Renew and the Canadian Foodgrains Bank will help us address the emergency food needs of families in food crisis and provide the training and resources communities need to journey to long-term food security. Thank you!
