The combined impact of HIV/AIDS and climate change has left many women and children vulnerable and destitute due to poor living conditions, including inadequate shelter. As HIV/AIDS claims lives of young, productive age groups, remaining family members—particularly vulnerable women and the elderly—face miserable living conditions. Children left behind by breadwinners become the responsibility of female and elderly-headed families with limited capacity to provide adequate accommodation. Compounding this situation, climate change effects including severe floods have destroyed homes, leaving many homeless.
Without proper shelter, most elderly women and children struggle to manage the effects of incurable diseases like AIDS and natural disasters such as floods and drought. Affected families cannot provide basic needs like food and shelter for their children. Housing problems create multiple challenges for families, particularly limiting parents’ and guardians’ ability to work and earn needed income.
Shelter remains beyond the means of most Malawian families, and the government does not provide housing even in times of severe need.
While most people recover from natural disasters, the recovery process proves feasible mainly for energetic groups, leaving single and elderly women still struggling.
Mai Aisha Trust approached Ummah Welfare Trust to help construct 52 homes for people affected by the 2015 floods in Nsanje district. Professional estimates indicate that constructing an affordable two-bedroom house costs approximately £1,000.
