China donates food to Malawi, and scholarship funds for needy students

LILONGWE, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- China has donated maize flour and red beans to the First Lady Monica Chakwera's Shaping Our Future Foundation (SOFF) to assist Malawians who are food insecure in the lakeshore district of Nkhotakota.

The Chinese government has also donated funds to the First Lady's foundation through the Chinese Ambassador's Scholarship Program to support the education of needy students that SOFF supports.

Wang Hao, charge d'affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Malawi, presented the donations to the First Lady Friday at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe, the Malawian capital, at an event that was attended by Chinese government officials from the embassy, Malawi government, and SOFF officials.

Wang said the humanitarian food support was in response to Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera's declaration of a state of disaster in 23 districts, including Nkhotakota, and the subsequent appeal for humanitarian support to millions of food-insecure Malawians.

On the Ambassador's scholarship program, Wang said the funding had been raised upwards from the previous year's level to enable more students to attain their education.

Wang pledged continued support to Malawi, adding that "China is always a good brother, a good friend, and a good partner of Malawi."

The First Lady, who is the founder of the SOFF, expressed appreciation, saying the donations will go a long way in improving the lives of Malawians, and needy students that her foundation supports.