Scottish Catholic Observer

The archbishop will travel with SCIAF’s Director Alistair Dutton to see projects that help poor farmers to grow more food, earn an income and adapt to the effects of climate change.

Speaking ahead of the trip, Archbishop Cushley said that ‘the devastating floods in Malawi have sharply brought into focus the need for aid agencies such as SCIAF.’

“Their response also reminds us of the excellent work the Catholic Church does all across the developing world,” he said. “I’m therefore delighted to support SCIAF’s work on the ground in Malawi as they bring help and hope to the most  vulnerable in our global community.”

With around 116,000 households losing their harvests in the floods, the archbishop will visit poor villagers who have lost their homes and crops. The recent floods will increase the hunger and poverty of many vulnerable families. SCIAF has already pledged £20,000 to help these people through Caritas Internationalis.

Mr Dutton said the trip would highlight the ‘dire consequences’ climate change had for the ‘poorest people in the world.’

“The floods in Malawi show the devastating effects of extreme weather on already vulnerable women and men,” he said. “All over the world, droughts, erratic rain and extreme weather are making it extremely difficult for small-scale farmers to know when to plant and harvest their crops. The result is a terrible increase in hunger and poverty.

He added that he was ‘extremely grateful to Archbishop Cushley for taking time to come to Malawi and see our life-changing work with poor farmers first hand.’

The trip will run from Monday, February 16 to Saturday, February 21, with the group arriving in Lilongwe and then travelling to Mangochi and Dedza Districts.

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PIC: PAUL McSHERRY

—Read the full version of this story in the February 6 edition of the SCO in parishes from Friday.